Description
This crockpot chicken parmesan soup turns the cozy flavors of chicken parmesan into a rich, creamy, slow-cooked bowl of comfort. Boneless chicken breasts cook gently in a tomato-based broth seasoned with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic until they become fall-apart tender. Near the end, Parmesan cheese and heavy whipping cream are stirred in to create a silky, cheesy finish, while uncooked rotini cooks right in the slow cooker so the pasta absorbs the savory, tomato-and-cheese flavor. Each serving is topped with melted mozzarella and buttery toasted bread crumbs for that classic chicken-parmesan-style bite—creamy underneath, cheesy on top, and lightly crisp at the finish.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7–8 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz rotini pasta (uncooked)
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Build the soup base in the crockpot.
Place the chicken breasts directly into the crockpot insert. Sprinkle in the minced garlic, then pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add the salt, ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning so the seasonings are evenly distributed through the tomato mixture. Finally, pour in the chicken broth. Use a spoon to gently stir the liquids and seasonings together around the chicken, making sure the chicken sits down in the mixture rather than perched above it. - Slow cook until the chicken is tender.
Cover the crockpot with the lid and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and very tender:- Low: 6–8 hours
- High: 3–4 hours
The soup should smell deeply savory and tomato-rich, and the chicken should be soft enough to shred easily without resistance.
- Shred the chicken directly in the crockpot.
Once the cooking time is complete, remove the lid and use two forks to shred the chicken breasts. You can shred them right in the crockpot so the chicken immediately mixes into the soup base. Keep shredding until you have bite-sized strands and pieces, then stir well to evenly distribute the shredded chicken throughout the liquid. - Add Parmesan, cream, and pasta for the creamy finish.
Stir in the freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, allowing it to melt into the hot soup and thicken it slightly. Pour in the heavy whipping cream and stir again until the soup becomes noticeably creamier and more uniform in color. Add the uncooked rotini pasta and mix thoroughly so the pasta is submerged and surrounded by liquid (this helps it cook evenly and prevents dry spots).
- Cook just until the pasta is tender.
Put the lid back on and continue cooking until the rotini is cooked through:- Low: about 30 minutes
- High: about 15 minutes
At the end of this step, the pasta should be tender but not mushy, and the soup should look creamy with chicken and pasta well distributed.
- Toast the bread crumbs in butter for a crisp topping.
While the pasta finishes cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and sauté, stirring frequently so they toast evenly. Continue until the crumbs turn golden brown and smell lightly buttery and toasted. Remove from the heat right away to prevent over-browning. - Serve and top like chicken parmesan.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Immediately top each serving with shredded mozzarella cheese so it melts into a gooey layer over the surface. Finish with a sprinkle of the toasted bread crumbs for a crisp contrast to the creamy soup underneath. Serve right away while the cheese is melty and the topping is crunchy.