Chicken Rigatoni Alfredo

Video below on how to make this big RIG pasta

Generally this time of year, between Thanksgiving and the end of the year, given all the various holiday gatherings and events throughout the month, I try to really reign it in with food, maybe eat a little lighter for a week or two after Thanksgiving, but, you know what? Not this year. Nope. I am going all in this last month, and in support of that, I am super happy to share this simple and delicious comfort food, a 5 ingredient chicken rigatoni alfredo.

 Ingredients/Recipe:

• 12 oz of rigatoni pasta (3 1/2 C dry)

• 24 oz. of alfredo sauce (2, 15 oz. jars, using not quite all of the sauce from the second jar)

• 2 C chicken broth or stock

• 2 medium sized chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

• 1 C of shredded mozzarella

• Mushrooms (drained if using canned, and this is optional)

• Salt and pepper to taste

 Putting it Together:

Place alfredo sauce, chicken broth and shredded chicken in the crock pot, along with some salt and pepper to taste, give it a good stir, and then place it on low for at least 1 hour, but can sit and simmer on low, or warm for a few hours. When ready, add in the pasta, mushrooms if you are using, give everything a good mix, then move to HIGH for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, add the cup of shredded mozzarella, and place back on high for another 15 minutes. After this, you can move to warm for 5-10 minutes to allow all the goodness to soak up, but keep an eye on the pasta to ensure it does not overcook. Based on the heat of your slow cooker, times may vary slightly.

 Serving:

Serve right away, to make sure the pasta doesn’t overcook. This pairs well with a side salad, and the side star of most our meals, a good crusty bread. And if you are really feeling wild, throw some grated parmesan on top, with some fresh cracked pepper.

 Load of Crock Tip(s):

• Pasta can be tricky in the slow cooker, so just keep your eye on it to ensure it does not get too mushy. If you want to use all 30 oz. of alfredo sauce, be sure to add a little more pasta or chicken, or both, to help soak up the sauce.

• If you do let the sauce and broth mixture simmer for a few hours, with the cream base, just be sure to give a stir here on and off as you can.

• If your shredded chicken is cold, plan to let it cook in the cream and broth for at least an hour and a half.

• I use my baked chicken recipe for the chicken, which gives it a great flavor. You can find it here: https://www.myloadofcrock.com/recipes/baked-chicken-breasts