Place 2 boneless chicken breasts into the slow cooker with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika and chicken broth. Keep the temperature on low heat setting about 200°F for 4 hours. Coat the chicken by rubbing the spices over the surface with your hands. You'll see the seasoning cling to the chicken and the broth turn lightly orange around the edges. The aroma becomes smoky and savory after the first hour. (I tried adding all the dairy early once and the sauce separated. Adding it later fixed the texture.) Miss this timing and the chicken can become dry before the sauce forms. Slow heat keeps the proteins tender and flavorful.

Cook the seasoned chicken breasts at low heat about 200°F for 4 to 5 hours until tender. Turn the chicken once around hour 3 using a fork and spoon motion so the seasoning stays distributed. Keep the pieces covered during the full cooking period. The chicken changes from pale pink to opaque white with orange spice streaks. You'll notice the broth smells deeply seasoned and the surface looks glossy. Skip this slow window and the chicken fibers won't soften properly. Low temperature cooking for hours breaks down proteins without drying the chicken.

Shred the chicken with forks after resting 10 minutes off heat at room temperature around 70°F. Stir in heavy cream, cream cheese and Parmesan using a folding motion for 2 minutes until the sauce becomes smooth. Add the mixture back into the slow cooker. The sauce turns creamy orange and coats the shredded chicken evenly. You'll see small melted cheese streaks disappear into the sauce. Miss this resting window and the chicken juices escape instead of staying moist. Resting 10 minutes lets the fibers relax before shredding.

Add cooked penne pasta to the slow cooker at 165°F sauce temperature and fold gently for 3 minutes with a spatula. Mix until the pasta absorbs the creamy Cajun sauce while keeping the pieces intact. Add chopped parsley after combining. The penne becomes coated with orange sauce and the surface looks glossy. You'll smell garlic, spice and Parmesan together. Overmix past 3 minutes and the pasta can lose its firm texture. Gentle folding protects the pasta shape while spreading the sauce evenly.

Transfer the CrockPot Cajun Chicken Pasta into a serving bowl and finish with extra Parmesan and parsley. Keep the serving temperature around 150°F to 160°F and arrange one portion with a gentle scoop motion for 1 minute. The final dish shows glossy orange sauce, uneven pasta strands and tender chicken pieces with melted cheese. You'll see natural sauce pooling and scattered herbs. Miss the final serving window and the sauce thickens too much. Serving warm keeps the sauce smooth and creamy.