Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup marinara sauce (low-sugar, preferably homemade or store-bought)
- ½ cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 8 oz whole grain or regular spaghetti (cooked according to package directions)
- Optional: 1 tbsp olive oil for browning
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour marinara sauce over the chicken, ensuring it’s fully submerged. Cover and cook on Low for 4–5 hours or High for 2–3 hours.
- Preheat broiler to High. Remove chicken from crockpot and place on a baking sheet.
- Top each breast with half the mozzarella and all the Parmesan. Broil 2–3 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Stir fresh basil into remaining sauce in crockpot (optional).
- Serve chicken over cooked spaghetti, spooning extra sauce over top.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, pat chicken dry before seasoning and optionally sear in olive oil before adding to the crockpot.
- Use a good-quality marinara sauce with minimal added sugar for a lighter version.
- For meal prep: Freeze cooked chicken with sauce (without pasta) for up to 3 months. Reheat and serve fresh pasta separately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- Method: Slow Cooking, Broiling
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: High Protein
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast + 1 cup pasta + ¼ cup sauce
- Calories: 425 Kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
