September 25, 2023
Review RecipeSlow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
Table of Contents
This slow cooker Olive Garden chicken pasta uses simple ingredients to create a delicious copycat Olive Garden Alfredo sauce. The sauce is then mixed with tender shredded chicken and pasta for a creamy and cheesy dish.
Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 2 pounds (3 to 4 pieces) of boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, divided in half
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper, divided in half
- 1 (0.7-ounce) packet of dry Italian dressing mix
- 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (16-ounce) box of penne pasta
- 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- ½ cup of all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons of grated fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon of dried parsley
- 2 cups of half & half
- 1½ cups of heavy cream
- 1½ cups of grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
Substitutions And Additions
SAUCE: If you want to make this a very easy meal, you can substitute the homemade sauce for a good quality jarred Alfredo sauce. I would recommend at least two 24 to 36-ounce jars for this amount of pasta and chicken.
CHICKEN: If you prefer dark meat, you can use 2 pounds of skinless boneless chicken thighs in place of the boneless skinless chicken breasts. It will be equally as easy and delicious.
PASTA: You can use any short, sturdy pasta for this easy recipe. I do not recommend elbow noodles or spaghetti noodles because they are not sturdy enough to hold up to this rich and creamy sauce.
VEGETABLES: You can’t go wrong adding in veggies to your alfredo sauce. Try adding cooked broccoli, mushrooms, red peppers, green bell pepper, or asparagus.
CHEESE: Olive Garden uses both parmesan and romano cheeses but you can just use parmesan. Or you can use mozzarella, gruyere, asiago, gouda, or even an Italian cheese blend for this recipe.
How To Make This Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta Recipe
STEP ONE: Spray the bottom of the slow cooker insert with non-stick cooking spray and then place chicken breasts inside.
STEP TWO: Sprinkle ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ black pepper evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the entire contents of the dry Italian dressing mix evenly over the chicken as well.
STEP THREE: Pour the chicken broth into the crockpot with the chicken and spices. Place the lid on the slow cooker and turn it on HIGH for 4 hours.
STEP FOUR: Once your chicken is done, remove it and shred the chicken using 2 forks to pull the chicken apart into small pieces.
STEP FIVE: Pour out all but 1 cup of the excess liquid that is remaining in the pot. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot insert and add back the reserved 1 cup of the seasoned cooking liquid.
STEP SIX: Turn your crockpot to WARM while you cook your pasta and make your sauce.
STEP SEVEN: Cook your pasta according to package directions (8-10 minutes) to al dente and drain the pasta when done.
STEP EIGHT: In a medium saucepan on the stovetop, on medium heat, melt your butter. Once your butter is melted, whisk in the flour, making sure there are no lumps.
STEP NINE: Add your grated garlic, dried parsley, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk to combine.
STEP TEN: Slowly add the half & half and heavy cream, making sure that you are whisking the entire time. This is very important to avoid any lumps in your final Alfredo sauce.
STEP ELEVEN: Cook your cream mixture for 5 to 6 minutes, whisking often until it starts to bubble and thicken. Once your cream mixture has thickened, turn off the heat and add your grated parmesan cheese. Stir to completely combine.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Heat the butter and cream to bubbling so that the cheese melts better when added.
To help make your sauce extra creamy, allow your cheese to come to room temperature before adding it to the sauce.
STEP TWELVE: Add the cooked and drained pasta to your shredded chicken mixture, then pour your Alfredo sauce on top. Stir to combine. You can top your slow cooker Olive Garden chicken alfredo pasta with fresh chopped parsley at this time if desired.
PRO TIP:
Alfredo sauce thickens while standing and thickens even more when added to the cooked pasta. If it seems too thin, resist the urge to thicken it, as it will thicken once mixed with your pasta.
You can keep your crock pot on warm for 30 minutes before the pasta gets too soft and absorbs excess moisture.
How To Serve
A Caesar side salad and garlic bread are classic side dishes for this crockpot Olive Garden chicken pasta. This recipe is a great way to make the popular pasta dish in the comfort of your own home.
Enjoy it on a busy weeknight, or even make it for guests. Add a classic apple crisp for dessert, and you will have a lovely meal.
If you love this great recipe, check out more of our pasta recipes, including our shrimp Alfredo and creamy Italian chicken with pasta.
MORE CROCKPOT RECIPES
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: You can store any leftovers of your slow cooker chicken pasta recipe in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: This pasta dish freezes well. Either store in one airtight container or divide into individual portions for easy lunches later on.
This easy copycat slow cooker Olive Garden chicken pasta recipe makes a delicious meal full of tender chicken and pasta drenched in creamy alfredo sauce. Let your magical slow cooker do the work of cooking the chicken while you whip up the homemade sauce and pasta for a dish that the whole family will enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
The easy Alfredo sauce recipe freezes and can stay in the freezer for up to 2 months. The flour in the recipe helps maintain the consistency of the sauce when cooled and then reheated.
Penne is recommended for this amazing recipe because the sauce clings to it well. If you prefer to use a different pasta, it will still taste amazing!
Sauteed vegetables would be delicious in this sauce. Try mushrooms, red peppers, onion, asparagus, and broccoli for great options.
To test your pasta for al dente, take a bite of the pasta a minute or two before the package instructions indicate it should be done. When you bite into it, and your teeth feel some resistance, but the pasta is still tender, your pasta is al dente.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
- Chicken Alfredo Bake
- Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
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- Creamy Italian Chicken with Pasta
- Bang Bang Shrimp
- Carbonara Pasta
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Mushrooms
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- Chicken Spaghetti
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Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, 3 to 4 pieces boneless skinless
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided in half
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided in half
- 0.7 ounces dry Italian dressing mix
- 1 cup chicken broth, low-sodium
- 16 ounces penne pasta
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 cups half & half
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1½ cups parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
- In the insert of your slow cooker/crockpot, place your boneless skinless chicken breasts. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ black pepper evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the entire contents of the dry Italian dressing mix evenly over the chicken as well.
- Pour the chicken broth into the crockpot with the chicken and spices. Cover with the lid and turn on HIGH for 4 hours.
- Once your chicken is done, remove it and shred it using 2 forks to pull it apart into bite-sized pieces.
- Pour out all but 1 cup of the excess liquid that is remaining in the pot. Return the shredded chicken back to the crockpot insert and add back the reserved 1 cup of the seasoned cooking liquid.
- Turn your crockpot to WARM while you cook your pasta and make your sauce.
- Cook your pasta according to package directions (8 to 10 minutes) and drain when done.
- In a medium saucepan, on medium heat, melt your butter. Once your butter is melted, whisk in the flour making sure there are no lumps.
- Add your grated garlic, dried parsley, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk to combine. Slowly add the half & half and heavy cream, making sure that you are whisking the entire time. This is very important to avoid any lumps in your final alfredo sauce.
- Cook your cream mixture for 5 to 6 minutes, whisking often, until it starts to bubble and thicken. Once your cream mixture has thickened, turn off the heat and add your grated parmesan cheese. Stir to completely combine.
- Add your cooked and drained pasta to your shredded chicken, then pour your Alfredo sauce on top. Stir to combine. You can top your slow cooker Olive Garden chicken Alfredo pasta with fresh chopped parsley at this time if desired.
Notes
- Heat the butter and cream to bubbling so that the cheese melts better when added.
- To help make your sauce extra creamy, allow your cheese to come to room temperature before adding it to the sauce.
- Alfredo sauce thickens while standing and thickens even more when added to the cooked pasta. If it seems too thin, resist the urge to thicken it as it will thicken once mixed with your pasta.
- You can keep your crockpot on warm for 30 minutes before the pasta gets too soft and absorbs excess moisture.
Comments
Gloria says
Super easy and delicious!!!!
Christina says
Can you use pre shredded cheese for this recipe or freshly grated ?
Layne Kangas says
We used the pre-shredded in a jar for this recipe.
Heather Fletcher says
Wow, this was amazing!! Even the leftovers were great reheated too. I will definitely make this again. It pairs nicely with broccoli too