Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta


1,776 Comments


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Use Olive Garden Italian Dressing to make this Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta! It’s a creamy pasta dish that has so much flavor.

We love easy pasta dishes for the crockpot! Try my Baked Spaghetti, Feta and Tomato Pasta, or Beef Stroganoff recipes too!

pasta in slow cooker with cheese on top. Breadsticks on the side.

I found this recipe in my Facebook group and had to try it out! You can make this Olive Garden Chicken with or without the pasta! Serve over rice or just with green steamed vegetables.

ingredients for olive garden chicken; italian dressing, chicken, pepper, cream cheese, and pasta.

How to make Olive Garden Chicken Pasta in the Crockpot:

  • Add chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
  • Pour over one 16-ounce jar of Olive Garden Italian Dressing (or any Italian dressing you have on hand.
  • Shake over grated parmesan cheese and ground pepper. Add one block of cream cheese.
Chicken, chicken with italian dressing, chicken with italian dressing, parmesan and cream cheese
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or low for 5-6.
  • Shred the chicken with two forks right in the slow cooker.
  • Cook 16 ounces of pasta according to the package directions on the stove-top. I am using penne pasta for this recipe.
Chicken after cooking in slow cooker
  • Add the drained pasta to the slow cooker along with the sauce and shredded chicken, stir.
  • Sprinkle over more parmesan cheese if desired. I also garnished with a touch of oregano and black pepper.
Chicken, pasta, in a creamy sauce served with bread sticks and salad

Can I serve this chicken with something other than pasta?

  • Serve over rice.
  • Or with steamed vegetables.

Must I use cream cheese?

You can leave it out or add a cup of heavy cream at the end of cooking time is desired. Though the sauce will be thinner.

Does this taste like chicken alfredo?

This Olive Garden Chicken Pasta is thick and creamy like alfredo but has a zesty Italian dressing flavor

chicken penne pasta in white bowl

What should I serve with olive garden chicken pasta?

Chose one or more of these great dishes to go along with this dish:

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Chicken, pasta, in a creamy sauce in the slow cooker

Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta

3.59 from 821 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8
Pasta cooked with Olive Garden Italian dressing, parmesan and cream cheese. Penne pasta is added at the end of the cooking time.
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Ingredients  

  • 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, (1.5-2 pounds works fine)
  • 16 oz. Olive Garden Italian dressing, (or any Italian dressing you like) Note- olive garden dressing is high in sodium and can be salty. Choose a lower sodium dressing if desired.
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 8 oz. cream cheese

Add these items after cooking time is up:

  • 16 oz. penne pasta, cooked according to package directions and drain well
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
  • Pour over the Olive Garden Italian dressing and sprinkle over the parmesan cheese and pepper.
  • Place the cream cheese on top.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 5-6 hours.
  • When the cooking time is almost done, start cooking the pasta on the stove top as directed on the package.
  • Shred the chicken with 2 forks. Drain the pasta and add to the chicken and sauce. Stir. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan cheese.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 852mg | Potassium: 528mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 481IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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Recipe Rating




1,776 Comments

  1. Gina says:

    This is fantastic, I want to make it again, but only have whipped cream cheese, do you think this would work?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I think it will do fine.

  2. Bridgett Goldstein says:

    5 stars
    OMG!! I could eat this TWICE a week! My entire family loved it!

  3. Kim says:

    My only problem/question is Could u put the uncooked pasta in also??

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      The slow cooker doesn’t get hot enough to boil the pasta so it turns out chalky and mushy.

      1. Anonymous says:

        Ur suppose to cook pasta on stove 1st

      2. Tiffany says:

        Well now after reading the reviews I’m afraid to try it ! Ugh and I already ordered all the ingredients.

      3. Jodi says:

        4 stars
        Just use half of the dressing and be sure to cook the pasta on the stove, not in the crock pot.

    2. Katie says:

      I did it successfully by first soaking the pasta in hot, salted water for about thirty minutes. Then it was halfway cooked. I added it to the slow cooker and also added milk when it needed more liquid. It turned out great!

  4. Debra Ventura says:

    I did not care for this recipe at all. I had to make modifications and it still wasn’t good.

  5. Suzy Northcutt says:

    5 stars
    Oops…I put too much fresh Parmesan cheese and somehow a stick of butter fell in.
    Family LOVES this dish!!

  6. Teon Sears says:

    Can i use a hand mixer to shred the chicken instead using a fork

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      yes, of course!

  7. Denise says:

    Always looking for quick and easy but it has to be edible. This chicken was disgusting!

  8. Debbie says:

    1 star
    This was very disappointing and I should have read more reviews. The dressing was too tangy and yes it made the chicken taste like tuna!! I love crock pot recipes but this was a no repeat!! I felt sorry for my boyfriend having to pretend he liked it.

  9. Randi Nicely says:

    5 stars
    Wait what’s with all the negative comments?
    I made this and it was the BOMB. I used half the bottle of the dressing. And added in a half can cream of mushroom and topped it off with olive gardens herb and garlic seasoning YUMMMMMMM 10 stars. Even my 3 year old LOVES it

    1. Karen Lewis says:

      I wish I would have read your comment before making this. I used the whole bottle of dressing and it was way too zesty. I will make again the way you did! Thanks Randi!

  10. Misty says:

    I substituted half the dressing with a can of cream of mushroom because I felt like the whole bottle of dressing would be overpowering especially reading these comments. Ours was amazing, just cut the dressing in half and add a can of cream of mushroom. I actually have done a similar dish but you add verde sauce instead of dressing then make it into a Mexican casserole by layering filling and tortillas and topping with cheese and extra verde and popping it into the oven for 20 mins.