Pour this 1 mixture over raw chicken and cavatelli into a slow cooker for a weeknight treat that is surprisingly irresistible

This slow cooker creamy goat cheese chicken cavatelli is the kind of weeknight treat that feels special without asking much of you. The whole idea is simple: you stir together one tangy, herby mixture with goat cheese, white wine, chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh thyme, then pour it over raw chicken breasts and dry cavatelli in the slow cooker. By the time you’re ready for supper, the chicken is tender, the pasta has soaked up all that flavor, and the sauce is silky and comforting.

It reminds me of the church potlucks I grew up with in the rural Midwest—humble ingredients, cooked low and slow, turning into something surprisingly irresistible.

Spoon the creamy chicken and cavatelli into warm shallow bowls and top with an extra sprinkle of fresh thyme or a little grated Parmesan if you like. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette balances the richness nicely, and buttered green beans or steamed broccoli feel right at home beside it.

Warm crusty bread or soft dinner rolls are perfect for catching every last bit of sauce, and if you enjoy wine, pour a small glass of the same dry white you used in the dish to tie the whole meal together.

Slow Cooker Creamy Goat Cheese Chicken Cavatelli

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 ounces dry cavatelli pasta

6 ounces goat cheese, softened and crumbled

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons oil from the sun-dried tomato jar (optional but recommended)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus extra for serving

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for a gentle heat)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving) 

Directions

Lightly spray the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray to help prevent sticking.

Lay the raw chicken breasts in an even layer on the bottom of the slow cooker. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.

Scatter the dry cavatelli pasta evenly around and over the chicken, letting it settle into the spaces between the pieces of chicken. The pasta should be uncooked at this point.

In a medium mixing bowl, make the 1 mixture: add the crumbled goat cheese, chicken broth, white wine, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomato oil (if using), fresh thyme leaves, minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well until the goat cheese is mostly smooth and the liquid is evenly combined with the herbs and tomatoes. It will look a bit lumpy but pourable.

Holding the bowl over the slow cooker, slowly pour this 1 mixture over the raw chicken and cavatelli, making sure to cover the pasta as much as possible so it can cook evenly in the sauce.

Use the back of a spoon to gently press any exposed pasta down into the liquid, but do not stir everything together; keep the chicken mostly on the bottom so it cooks through properly.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through (reaching 165°F in the center) and the cavatelli is tender. Check once around the 3-hour mark; if some pasta is sitting dry on top, gently push it into the sauce and replace the lid.

When cooking is finished, use two forks to shred the chicken right in the slow cooker or slice it into thick pieces if you prefer larger bites. Stir everything together so the chicken, cavatelli, and creamy goat cheese sauce are well combined.

Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt or pepper if needed. If the sauce seems too thick, you can stir in a splash more warm chicken broth or hot water until it reaches your preferred creaminess.

Serve the creamy goat cheese chicken cavatelli hot, sprinkled with extra fresh thyme and a little grated Parmesan cheese if you like.

Variations & Tips

For a heartier farmhouse feel, stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms or a handful of baby spinach during the last 30 minutes of cooking; they’ll soften into the sauce without watering it down too much.

If you don’t cook with wine, simply replace the white wine with extra chicken broth and add a squeeze of lemon at the end for brightness. You can swap the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs if that’s what you keep in the freezer—just trim excess fat and cook on LOW for about the same time, checking for tenderness.

If cavatelli is hard to find, small sturdy pastas like penne, rotini, or shells will work; just keep the total amount to about 8 ounces and make sure they’re mostly submerged in the mixture. For a milder flavor, use half goat cheese and half cream cheese, which keeps the sauce creamy but softens the tang.

This recipe also holds well on the warm setting for about an hour after cooking; if it thickens while it sits, loosen it with a splash of broth or milk before serving.