Slow Cooker Chicken Scampi (Olive Garden Copycat)
20 CommentsOct 30, 2026
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This Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Scampi Copycat is an easy recipe made with tender chicken, bell peppers, red onions, and angel hair pasta tossed in a creamy garlic Parmesan sauce. Everything comes together in the crockpot for a restaurant-style dinner without much work!
If you loved my Olive Garden Chicken Pasta (made with Olive Garden Dressing), then you will LOVE this chicken scampi recipe.
Table of Contents
- What is Chicken Scampi?
- Why this Recipe is a Keeper
- The Ingredients
- How to Make Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
- Tips & Variations
- Can I add Wine to Chicken Scampi?
- Can this be made into a freezer meal?
- Can Angel Hair Pasta be Cooked in a Crockpot?
- How to Serve Chicken Scampi
- How to Store and Reheat
- More pasta recipes to make in your crockpot
- Slow Cooker Chicken Scampi (Olive Garden Copycat) Recipe
Featured Comment
This was a great copycat to Olive Gardens chicken scampi! I loved it and I will be making it again next month!
- kj
What is Chicken Scampi?
If you love Olive Garden's Chicken Scampi, then this recipe is for you! I found out that scampi means shrimp, but this dish has chicken in it? I am not going to complain because I love this dish so very much!
Scampi sauce is usually made with butter and garlic, but I've added heavy cream to make this version extra creamy.
Why this Recipe is a Keeper
- The chicken gets extra tender in the slow cooker, and there's no need to brown it first!
- Makes a big batch of restaurant-quality pasta for a fraction of the cost (I bet you can make this whole dish for the cost of one portion!).
- Made from scratch, which can be healthier than dining out since you can control the ingredients.
The Ingredients
Chicken - Chicken breasts or chicken tenders.
Seasoning and Butter - Garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Butter is also added for more flavor, since chicken breasts can be boring.
Vegetables - Red onion and red and green bell peppers.
Heavy Cream and Parmesan - Add at the end of cooking time.
Pasta - Olive Garden serves its Chicken Scampi with angel hair pasta, and it's my favorite choice for this recipe.
How to Make Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
- Add the chicken breasts, broth, seasonings, onion and butter to the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 hours.
- After that cooking time is up, add the bell peppers. Cook for one more hour.
- Shred the chicken with two forks if desired.
- Add the cooked pasta, cream, and parmesan; stir and serve!
Tips & Variations
Mozzarella - For an extra cheesy version, top the finished pasta with 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella instead of Parmesan.
Spicy - Add a 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
Mushroom - Add sliced mushrooms along with the bell peppers for extra flavor.
Different pasta - Linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccine can replace the angel hair pasta.
Can I add Wine to Chicken Scampi?
Add a 1/2 cup of white wine to your chicken scampi while it cooks; omit a 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Don't be tempted to add more; using too much alcohol in the slow cooker can overpower a dish.
Can this be made into a freezer meal?
Yes! Add the chicken, broth, onion, garlic, seasonings, and butter to a freezer-safe bag. Leave out the bell peppers, heavy cream, pasta, and Parmesan cheese since those get added later. Freeze for up to three months. When you're ready to cook, thaw the bag overnight in the refrigerator, pour everything into the slow cooker, and follow the recipe as written.
Can Angel Hair Pasta be Cooked in a Crockpot?
No, I recommend cooking the pasta separately on the stovetop. Angel hair is very thin and can quickly become mushy when cooked in the slow cooker.
How to Serve Chicken Scampi
Toppings: Add more parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and freshly ground black pepper to top off the dish.
Sides: Serve with a green salad or Caesar salad, and don't forget the breadsticks! At my grocery store, they sell Olive Garden-style breadsticks in the bread section; just add butter and garlic powder and bake!
Other Olive Garden Recipes: Make it an olive garden night and also make my Slow Cooker Minestrone, Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup, or Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli.
How to Store and Reheat
Place any leftovers in the fridge for up to four days. You can freeze this meal for up to three months. To reheat, microwave individual servings; don't overheat!
More pasta recipes to make in your crockpot
For more easy pasta dinners, try my Southwest Chicken Pasta, Slow Cooker Shrimp Scampi, or Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti for a family-friendly meal.
If you're craving something creamy and comforting, try Slow Cooker Chicken Tetrazzini, Slow Cooker Angel Chicken, or Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta.
If you tried this Chicken Scampi recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Happy Slow Cooking!
How to Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup sliced red onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 4 Tbsp. salted butter
- 2 bell peppers (one red and one green), sliced (these get added towards the end)
Wait to Add
- 1 cup heavy cream, add at the end
- 1/2 lb. angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Place the chicken, chicken broth, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper and butter into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Add the sliced bell peppers and cook for another hour.
- Shred the chicken with 2 forks if using chicken breasts. If you are using chicken tenderloins, you don't need to shred the chicken.
- Add the heavy cream and stir. Add the cooked and drained pasta and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese. Stir gently to combine.
- Serve with additional cheese if desired.
- Enjoy!
Sarah's Notes
- Mozzarella - Make this extra cheesy by adding mozzarella cheese on top instead of parmesan. 1.5 cups of shredded mozzarella is the perfect amount.
- Spicy - Add a 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Mushroom - Mushrooms are a great addition to this meal and it makes it even heartier.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
The actual Olive Garden Chicken Scampi is made with angel hair pasta. The thickness of the noodle plays a huge role in how it tastes and how much the noodle absorbs the sauce.
I made this recipe and the sauce never got thick? Is the sauce suppose to be thin? It was good
Can you cook this on high for a shorter amount of time ?
Yes, 3.5- 4 hours will work great.
Thanks!! I absolutely love your recipes!!!
May you record a video of this!? Thanks.
Why put the peo3pers in near thr end
Why put the peppers in near the end**
peppers*
This look so yummy, adding it my list to try. Thanks for sharing ❤️
Sarah, you always make me hungry!
That’s so funny…I think I knew that “scampi” means shrimp, but I’d never thought about the fact that means that shrimp scampi means…shrimp shrimp. Anyway, this looks so tasty!
Hi Sarah, what kind of heavy cream do you use for the chicken spaghetti?
Heavy whipping cream. 🙂
Any suggestions on the brand of whipping cream? I’m new to cooking and so far my husband loved your pork chops/potatoes and apricot chicken Thanks again!!!!
Hello Sarah, this sounds simply lovely! One question. I have had poor luck cooking boneless, skinless breasts for this long without them drying out. Always on low and in liquid, they still get dry. Do you have a secret you could share?? Thanks for sharing and this will be on the menu for our next Pasta Night!!
Hi Lori! Shredding them in a sauce always helps with moistness instead of serving them whole. Lately I have been doing boneless skinless thighs for recipes that the chicken is left whole. I hope this helps!