Looking for a comforting and flavorful dinner that practically cooks itself? Try this Crockpot Olive Garden chicken pasta!
This dish combines tender, slow-cooked chicken with a creamy, cheesy sauce, plus the zesty flavors of Olive Garden Italian dressing. The best part? It's so easy to make!
Just toss everything into the Crockpot and let it work its magic.
I like to top it with extra Parmesan and pair it with a fresh salad and garlic bread. Your family will love it!
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Why You'll Love This Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
Easy Prep: This recipe requires minimal effort and time to prepare, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
Flexibility: You can easily adjust the recipe to suit your taste preferences by adding or substituting ingredients. Use different types of pasta or add vegetables.
Taste Sensation: A creamy sauce and tender chicken combine to create a rich and satisfying taste experience.
Convenience: The slow cooker does all the work for you, allowing you to cook the meal while you attend to other tasks.
Ingredients
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: The star of the dish. They’re tender, juicy, and shredded to perfection in the slow cooker.
- Olive Garden Italian Dressing: The secret ingredient! It packs a flavorful punch. It's the key to recreating the beloved Olive Garden taste.
- Parmesan Cheese: It brings the ultimate cheesy, nutty, and savory flavor. Sprinkle extra on top for a delightful finish.
- Black Pepper: It adds a subtle kick to every bite.
- Garlic: It complements the Italian dressing and Parmesan perfectly.
- Full-Fat Cream Cheese: It binds everything together and creates a luscious, velvety sauce.
- Penne Pasta: Al dente penne is the ideal shape to capture the rich sauce.
How to Make Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
You won’t believe how easy this dish is!
1. Prepare the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Mix the sauce. In a bowl, mix the Olive Garden dressing, Parmesan, black pepper, and minced garlic until combined. Pour over the chicken.
3. Add the cream cheese. Place the block of cream cheese on top of the chicken.
4. Slow cook. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours, until chicken is tender.
5. Cook the pasta. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
6. Shred the chicken. Using two forks, shred the chicken in the slow cooker, mixing it with the creamy sauce.
7. Combine the ingredients. Add the cooked penne to the slow cooker and stir gently to coat the pasta in the chicken and sauce.
8. Serve. Serve warm, topped with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Tips for the Best Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
Follow these easy tips to make your pasta truly stand out.
- Stay true to the original. For the best flavor, use Olive Garden Italian dressing. But keep in mind, it's quite tangy. To mellow it, use half the bottle with 1 cup of water instead.
- Grate it fresh. Opt for freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead of pre-shredded for better flavor and texture.|
- Pick your favorite pasta. Penne pasta works well. But you can also use rotini, farfalle, or any other short pasta shape that can hold the sauce.
- Watch the time. Adjust cooking time based on your slow cooker's performance, ensuring the chicken is tender and easily shreddable.
- Don’t over-shred! Don't over-shred the chicken. You want pieces of chicken, not tiny shreds that disappear into the sauce.
- Try fun flavor variations. Experiment with adding red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, or fresh herbs like basil or parsley for extra flavor.
- Make it a feast. Serve with a side salad, steamed vegetables, or breadsticks to complement the rich, creamy pasta dish.
How to Store
These simple tips will help keep your leftover chicken pasta fresh.
To Store: Place the cooled pasta in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. For best results, store the pasta and sauce separately to prevent the pasta from becoming soggy.
To Reheat: Warm the pasta and sauce in a microwave-safe dish, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Or, reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add a splash of milk or cream to restore the sauce's consistency if needed.
Note: It's not recommended to freeze this dish, as the cream-based sauce will separate, and the pasta will become mushy when thawed and reheated.
More Hearty Chicken Dinners You’ll Love
Coconut Chicken Curry
Mexican Chicken Casserole
Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Oven-Baked Chicken and Rice
Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
This easy Crockpot Olive Garden chicken pasta is comforting and delicious! With a creamy sauce and the flavors of the signature dressing, it's impossible to resist.
6
servings5
minutes6
hours770
kcalIngredients
1.5-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (16 ounce) bottle Olive Garden Italian dressing (see note)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8 ounce) block full-fat cream cheese, cubed
16 oz penne pasta
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a bowl, mix the Olive Garden dressing, 1/4 cup Parmesan, black pepper, and minced garlic until combined. Pour over the chicken.
- Sprinkle the cream cheese on top of the chicken.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours, until chicken is tender.
- When the chicken is cooked, cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain but reserve 1 cup of pasta sauce. Set aside.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken in the slow cooker, mixing it with the creamy sauce.
- Add the cooked penne to the slow cooker and stir gently to coat the pasta in the chicken and sauce. If needed, add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
- Serve warm, topped with the remaining Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Only use Olive Garden Italian dressing for the best flavor. For a less tangy sauce, use half the bottle with 1 cup of water,
- Don't over-shred the chicken. You want pieces of chicken, not tiny shreds that disappear into the sauce.
11 Comments
Can any pasta be used? We are snowed in and I don’t have Pene pasta could I use angel hair
If using jarred minced garlic, what is the ratio compared to fresh clove garlic?
Hi Theresa!
In general: 1 fresh garlic clove ≈ 1/2 teaspoon jarred minced garlic
So for this recipe (4 cloves) you’ll need about 2 teaspoons 🙂
my family loves this recipe
16 or 24 oz bottle of Olive Garden dressing?
Hi Tricia!
It’s a 16 ounce bottle 🙂
I’m amended the recipe, so thanks for asking!
Sounds great and easy. Can’t wait to make it!
What is the nutritional listing for sodium and carbs?
Hi there!
We are actually working on adding full nutritional info to all of our older recipes! Hopefully we’ll get to this one soon!
I just did a quick check for you, and it looks like 70 carbs, 1341 sodium.
If you ever need to check nutritional information for any recipe (not just ours), I recommend this website: https://recipecard.io/recipe-nutrition-analyzer/
Are the chicken breasts to be thawed or can you use frozen ?
Hi Stephanie!
It’s not recommended to put frozen chicken breasts directly into a slow cooker.
The slow cooker heats food gradually, which means frozen chicken can stay in the temperature danger zone (40°F–140°F / 4°C–60°C) for too long, increasing the risk of bacterial growth.
For food safety, thaw chicken in the fridge overnight before adding it to the slow cooker.