Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Pasta

This slow cooker buffalo chicken pasta is a creamy, spicy dish that's perfect for busy nights. It's made with chicken breast combined into a zesty hot sauce with spinach and pasta added in at the end to round out the meal. It's an easy meal prep option that's also freezer friendly and does not fall short in flavour.

Note - ingredients can be approximate

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 15

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 500 kcal

Equipment

slow cooker

Ingredients

1.5 kg (3 ⅓ lb) Chicken breast, approx. 8 breasts
6 cloves garlic
1 brown onion
2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 cup Hot sauce, Frank's recommended, see note 1
400 g (1 ½ cups) diced tomatoes, subs note 2
1 cup chicken stock, storebought or homemade
1 cup Greek yogurt, see note 3
200 g Spinach
500 g (approx. 5 cups) pasta, see note 4

Instructions

Preparing

Dice the1 brown onion and finely chop the 6 cloves garlic.

Cooking

If you have a searing slow cooker, put it on browning or searing, add a drizzle of oil, then cook the brown onion and garlic for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Alternatively, you can do this on a pan and then add to the slow cooker.
Add the 1.5 kg (3 ⅓ lb) Chicken breast and sear lightly on each side for 2–3 minutes until just browned (not fully cooked). This helps build flavour before slow cooking.
Pour in the 1 cup Hot sauce, 400 g (1 ½ cups) diced tomatoes, and 1 cup chicken stock, then stir through the 2 tbsp dried parsley and 1 tbsp dried dill. Mix until everything is well combined.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the chicken breast is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
Shred the chicken using two forks then stir through the sauce.
Add the 500 g (approx. 5 cups) pasta directly into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook for: 20 minutes for meal prep (firmer texture for reheating) or 30 minutes if serving immediately (softer texture)
Just before serving, stir through the 1 cup Greek yogurt and 200 g Spinach until the spinach is wilted and the sauce is creamy.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (see note 5), then serve or portion for meal prep.

Video

Notes

Note 1 - Hot sauce

The hot sauce (like Frank’s) gives a classic buffalo flavour, but you can adjust the amount or swap it depending on your spice preference.

Note 2 - Diced tomatoes

Substitutions - passata

Note 3 - Greek yogurt

Substitutions - dairy free yogurt (e.g. soy, oat).

Note 4 - Pasta

Use sturdy shapes like penne or fusilli as they hold up better in the slow cooker and during reheating compared to long pasta like spaghetti.

Note 5 - Adjust taste

Taste before serving and adjust as needed—add extra hot sauce for more heat, a little more greek yogurt to mellow it out, or a pinch of salt to balance the overall flavour.

Storage

Store in airtight glass containers in the fridge for up to 4 days, allowing it to cool before sealing to avoid excess moisture.

Reheating

Reheat in the microwave for 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway through, adding a splash of water or chicken stock if needed to loosen the sauce.

Freezing

Freeze in portions for up to 3 months; you can freeze with the pasta included or freeze the chicken mixture separately and cook fresh pasta when serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 53gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 1095mgPotassium: 1231mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2542IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 3mg

Keyword comfort food, meal prep, slow cooker, spicy

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