topic Re: Question for experienced cooks in Recipes

Question for experienced cooks

soonersis — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 18:56:53 GMT

I plan to make a chicken spaghetti casserole this week but since the weather is warmer I don't want to use my oven so will bake it in my slow cooker. I plan to use the "high" setting for four hours. Because of the length of time it will bake is it necessary to cook the spaghetti noodles first or can I just put them in the slow cooker raw with the chicken and all of the other ingredients? I will probably break them in half or in fourths.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

AuntG — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:04:07 GMT

Never had great success using a slow cooker. I wouldn't fully cook the pasta, but I'd give it a short boil.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

Kachina624 — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:06:33 GMT

The slow cooker generates moisture through condensation. I'd be afraid the dish would be too soupy.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

mspatmac — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:19:20 GMT

I would google for a similar recipe to make sure it's a good idea first. Then you can adjust to your recipe.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

itsmagic — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:20:07 GMT

I think I would put all the ingredients in the crockpot except the spaghetti. In the last hour I would add the uncooked spaghetti to the crockpot (break in half or fourths) and cook for the remaining time.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

CAcableGirl2 — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:51:24 GMT

I have a great recipe that is for chicken pasta and the noodles are cooked and then added to the pot right before serving. I think if you add the pasta early, it will soak up all the liquid, and get overcooked.

My recipe says to add cooked at the very end. It's really simple and amazing - just like you are at Olive Garden (for those that happen to like Olive Garden).

II'll post the recipe if anyone is interested.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

Pook — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:32:29 GMT

@soonersis I make a chicken, pasta dish in my slow cooker. I use either boneless skinbless chicken thighs or breasts, cook 4 hours on high with other ingredients then add cooked pasta after the 4 hours and leave on warm until eating.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

deepwaterdotter — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:44:33 GMT

@CAcableGirl2 wrote:
I have a great recipe that is for chicken pasta and the noodles are cooked and then added to the pot right before serving.

It's really simple and amazing - just like you are at Olive Garden (for those that happen to like Olive Garden).

II'll post the recipe if anyone is interested.

This.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

CelticCrafter — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 21:47:11 GMT

I definitely wouldn't cook the spaghetti first.

I think it would be mush after 4 hours on high.

If it were me, I would leave it out of the crockpot completely and cook it separately.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

Kachina624 — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 21:51:15 GMT

@CAcableGirl2 wrote:
I have a great recipe that is for chicken pasta and the noodles are cooked and then added to the pot right before serving. I think if you add the pasta early, it will soak up all the liquid, and get overcooked.

My recipe says to add cooked at the very end. It's really simple and amazing - just like you are at Olive Garden (for those that happen to like Olive Garden).

II'll post the recipe if anyone is interested.

@CAcableGirl2 I've already sent your recipe to my sister and we both plan to make it soon. Thanks!

Re: Question for experienced cooks

jannabelle1 — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 23:38:35 GMT

I've used a slow cooker for decades, but have never cooked noodles in it. I would cook the noodles separately and either serve the chicken over the noodles, or add the cooked noodles to the crock pot at the very end for maybe 15 to 20 minutes. Honestly, I wouldn't put noodles in a slow cooker....I'd use my oven for 30 or 45 minutes and not worry about it.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

coffee drinker — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:41:06 GMT

@soonersis @cacablegirl just posted a slow cooker recipe that had pasta as an ingredient. It was called Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta and was in the Community forum. The pasta was cooked on the stove and then added to the completed recipe. You may want to check her recipe to get the "gist" of it.

ETA @soonersis sorry, the recipe is in the RECIPE forum.

Re: Question for experienced cooks

soonersis — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 11:32:06 GMT

Thanks for all of your replies!

Re: Question for experienced cooks

Toppers3 — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 05:47:22 GMT

@soonersis wrote:
I plan to make a chicken spaghetti casserole this week but since the weather is warmer I don't want to use my oven so will bake it in my slow cooker. I plan to use the "high" setting for four hours. Because of the length of time it will bake is it necessary to cook the spaghetti noodles first or can I just put them in the slow cooker raw with the chicken and all of the other ingredients? I will probably break them in half or in fourths.

Hi @soonersis ,

By the time you see my reply youmay have already made your chicken recipe in your slow cooker.

However, in case you haven't, I did want to respond to your question.

You can make uncooked past in your slow cooker. Recipes that I've seen call for adding it in at the last hour of cook time.

You need to have enough liquid in your recipe to be able to cover up the pasta so that it can cook properly, otherwise it will come out too hard.

As others have already mentioned, you can also make your pasta separately on your stove top, and then serve it with your chicken.