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!
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
What should I serve with olive garden chicken pasta?
Chose one or more of these great dishes to go along with this dish:
- Olive Garden Salad – Recipe by The Cookie Rookie
- Olive Garden Bread Sticks – Recipe by Lil Luna (or buy them premade, I get mine at Safeway)
- Slow Cooker Copycat Gnocchi Soup
- Slow Cooker Copycat Zuppa Toscana
- Slow Cooker Copycat Minestrone – Recipe by Tammilee Tips
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Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
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!
How to Video:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Wayne Obenauer says
Would things turn out if you use lactose free cheeses?
Sarah Olson says
I’m unsure without trying. If you have luck cooking with them, the should be fine.
Dacia Wallace says
Hi there!!
Parmesan is naturally lactose-free, my daughter is lactose-intolerant and parmesan is one of the few cheeses she can tolerate without any side-effects.
The Olive Garden dressing I used was the signature Italian, which has Romano cheese in it. Romano is another naturally lactose-free cheese.
As for lactose free cream cheese, while I have not made this recipe in particular before, I have had wonderful results in similar recipes using creme fresche (goat milk “cream cheese”) as well as Tofutti (tofu “cream cheese”). You might also try plain lactose-free yogurt that has been strained to a cream cheese consistency, but stir in at the end of cooking to avoid it curdling.
If you are of the DIY/adventuress type, making your own “cream cheese” is very doable and easy, especially if you can get ahold of fresh goat milk.
Good luck!!
teresa says
can you use any other kind of cheese i dont have any parmasagn but ive got motzerell
Sarah Olson says
Yes, But I would only add it no the top at the end.
lynn says
Hi -will fresh parmesan cheese work instead of the container one ?
Sarah Olson says
Yes, that will work fine.
Selena says
Can I use a 4.5 quart crockpot?!
Amanda says
Maybe if you halve the recipe. I used a 7qt and it was very full
Kurt says
Yes easy, it didnt take much room in my 6QT.
Kim says
Does it make a difference if I use grated parmesan? Or shredded parmesan??
Ashley Davis says
No I’ve even used shaved Parmesan.
Bobbi says
YUMMY I just added extra shredded parmesan and a little milk and sun dried tomatoes!!!
Georgia says
Smelled delicious cooking, but that was the only good thing about this recipe. Way too salty, not creamy at all. I added spinach and cherry tomatoes, which helped a tad, but it’s still going into the garbage.
sally murphy says
Way too salty – i wish i had read the reviews before I made it.
SandyA says
Can I give it 0 stars? Sounded so good! Horrendous recipe. Way too salty and too much cream cheese. We threw it away. Sorry for the waste of food and money.
Connie Benton says
I found this recipe while searching for one that used ingredients I had on hand. For some sad reason I had a bottle of Olive Garden Italian dressing. I should have thrown it out. The dish was way too salty. The dressing overpowered everything. I tried the posted recommendations to make it less salty. It helped slightly but didn’t make it taste better. We tried to eat it but couldn’t. Don’t bother with this one!
Gyna says
This was an easy and fabulous dinner! Lite dressing, low fat cream cheese and chickpea pasta! My fam loved it! ❤️
Bethany says
I’m doing this exact combination today!! Looking forward to tasting!
Diana says
I decided before I read all of the comments to make this recipe. As I was preparing to start making it, THEN I read the comments. It looked so good, I was determined to make it anyway. Since so many people said that one bottle of dressing was too much, I decided to use about half of the bottle. For the other half, I added heavy whipping cream, and I have to say that this turned out FABULOUS!! Was a giant hit in my house!! I did add extra cheese, and next time I think I will add mushrooms and spinach! DELICIOUS and easy!!
Louis says
When would you add the mushrooms and spinach? Thanks!
Sharon says
How much and when did you add the heavy whipping cream? Thank you
Sarah Olson says
I would do the end. Only because once in a great while it can curdle.
Anonymous says
I thought the exact same thing about the Italian dressing.. it was a little much so next time I am going to try the heavy whipping cream as well.
Anonymous says
Not something I would make again.
Anonymous says
Gross. Will not make again