Description
This Crockpot Chicken and Broccoli Mac and Cheese is creamy, cozy, and packed with flavor. Made with shell pasta, cheddar, tender chicken, and broccoli it’s a budget-friendly, one-pot comfort meal perfect for busy families.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
5 cups fresh broccoli florets
8 ounces shell pasta or elbow macaroni
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces cream cheese
1½ cups whole milk
½ cup chicken broth
1 packet Ranch seasoning
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Instructions
Step 1: Prep your Crockpot
Spray it with a little cooking spray, then add the cubed chicken, broccoli, Ranch packet, garlic, and chicken broth. You’ll already smell something good coming.
Step 2: Let it slow cook
Cover and cook on low for 3–4 hours. The chicken gets tender, and the broccoli softens like it knows what it’s doing.
Step 3: Parboil your pasta
Boil it for just 3 minutes. That’s it. Drain it. This keeps it from turning into mush later—lesson learned.
Step 4: Add the cheesy good stuff
Stir in your parboiled pasta, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, milk, and dry mustard powder. It’s gonna look thick and dreamy.
Step 5: Final cook
Cover again and cook for 1 more hour on low. Stir every so often to melt everything evenly.
Step 6: Serve and breathe
Spoon into bowls. Watch it stretch. Take that first bite slowly. It’s warm, it’s comforting, and it’s exactly what you needed.
Notes
• Use shell pasta for best texture.
• Substitute with shredded rotisserie chicken if short on time.
• Add red pepper flakes for spice or extra cheddar for richness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: crockpot chicken mac and cheese, broccoli chicken pasta, easy crockpot dinners