Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks Marinara Mozzarella Mushroom Mish-Mosh (with Penne Pasta!)
A toothsome mouthful in an easy Crock-Pot recipe that makes a beautiful meal out of the humdrum chicken drumstick.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 2.5-3 lbs chicken drumsticks trimmed
- 8 oz sliced white or baby bella mushrooms
- 24 oz jar marinara
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 6 cloves
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 16 oz box penne pasta
- ⅔ cup shredded Parmesan divided
- 8 oz mozzarella sliced
- Dried or fresh parsley to garnish optional and to taste
Instructions
- Trim any excess skin off of your drumsticks and arrange them in the bottom of your slow cooker. (I used a 7 quart manual Crock-Pot here.) Add mushrooms, then dollop with minced garlic.
- Pour marinara over chicken and mushrooms, then sprinkle with Italian seasoning, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Stir lightly to blend seasonings into sauce and ensure that it is entirely covering the chicken and mushrooms, then cover and cook on low for 4.5 hours.
- Start a pot of water boiling for pasta at four hours into your slow cooking time, 30 minutes before the chicken marinara will be done. Cook the penne al dente in salted water according to package directions.
- Drain pasta, then stir the cooked penne and ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan straight into the chicken marinara mixture in the crock. Top with mozzarella and another ⅓ cup Parmesan, then replace the lid and cook on low for another 20 minutes.
- Garnish your chicken drumsticks & pasta marinara with fresh or dried parsley before serving (optional).
Notes
The marinara sauce will seem somewhat watery when you first open the Crock-Pot, but thickens up during the additional 20 minutes of cooking time with the shredded Parmesan.