Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
Succulent chicken, tangy Olive Garden dressing, melty cream cheese, and pasta come together in this cozy crockpot Olive Garden chicken pasta. Toss in garlic and Parmesan? Irresistible. This creamy slow cooker meal tastes like a hug in a bowl and is ridiculously easy to make — perfect for weeknights!
6
servings
Ingredients
Chicken & Sauce
- 2 lbs (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or use chicken thighs, same weight
- 16 oz (475 ml) Olive Garden Italian dressing 1 standard bottle (not light or reduced fat)
- 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 tsp black pepper freshly cracked preferred
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese full-fat, cut into cubes
- 1.5 cups (125 g) fresh Parmesan cheese grated and divided, plus more for serving
Finishing & Pasta
- 16 oz (450 g) penne pasta or rigatoni, rotini, etc.
- reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen sauce
- additional Parmesan cheese for topping
Equipment
- Crockpot or Slow Cooker
- Large Knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowl
- Saucepan for boiling pasta
Instructions
- Layer the chicken in your slow cooker: Place the chicken breasts (or thighs) in the bottom of the crockpot.
- Whisk up the sauce: In a bowl or large mug, mix together the Italian dressing, half of the grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and minced garlic. Stir until combined.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken: Evenly pour the dressing mixture over the chicken in the crockpot. Scatter the cubed cream cheese over the top. Do not stir.
- Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours, until chicken is very tender. Do not open the lid during cooking if possible.
- Cook pasta: About 20 minutes before chicken is done, boil the penne pasta in salted water until just al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta.
- Shred the chicken: Use two forks to shred the chicken right in the crockpot and mix into the creamy sauce.
- Combine pasta & sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the crockpot and gently fold to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water as needed so everything is nicely coated.
- Top and serve: Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese and more cracked black pepper on top before serving. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
This creamy chicken pasta is wildly cozy, make-ahead friendly, and flexible. Leftovers keep 3-4 days refrigerated and reheat best with a bit of milk or reserved pasta water stirred in. Freezes okay but may have texture changes. Swap in any short pasta, use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, or mix in spinach or cooked broccoli after shredding for a veggie boost. Make it gluten-free by swapping the pasta for your favorite GF shapes.
Nutrition
Calories: 645kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 1373mg | Potassium: 775mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 355mg | Iron: 2.5mg