Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
1,841 CommentsUpdated Jan 18, 2026
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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!
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
How to Video
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
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I try to be constructive as much as I can. But this recipe had a houseful ready to go out to eat. From the first bite, it is way too tangy…in a bad way. I’m not sure if it’s the dressing itself or the combination with the parm cheese or cream cheese. Either way, I had to add a lot of water and chicken stock to calm down the flavor and make it halfway edible. I know we all have different tastes and therefore different opinions. But this one will not be a repeat. Give me the alfredo any day.
Totally agree. It actually tasted disgusting and terribly salty. I threw the whole thing out. We all hated it. So disappointing.
I agree with you this was horrible. I had to through it out
Been making this for a couple years now. One of my go to dishes. So easy and everyone loves it.
How big is the serving for that nutritional information. Thanks
1/8 of the recipe. I do not have the measurement.
So good! My son loves it. I was thinking about making a bunch the sauce and freezing it for his graduation party. Do you think it will freeze well? I’d make the pasta the day of the party.
Question: Is the penne pasta – 16oz dried then cook it, or is it 16 oz. of cooked penne pasta? It makes a huge difference. And I wasn’t sure by how it was worded.
thanks! And by the way I did make it and my very picky daughter loved it – said its a “you can make that one again” dinner!
Hi! It say 16 oz. penne pasta – then says cooked according to package directions. If it was meant to be cooked and measured it would read 16 oz. cooked penne pasta. 🙂 I’m glad your daughter liked it.
I have shredded chicken already cooked up. Would you still do it in the crock pot for a shorter period to infuse the sauce into the chicken or would you just try it in a sauce pan now?
Hi! You can do either!
This was delicious and my whole family loved it, I’ve made it for potlucks and plan on making it @ the beach. Thank you for sharing!!!
Instead of putting the whole 16oz bottle of dressing in, try only half the bottle and then a can of cream of chicken soup. Makes it not overly tangy and a little creamier. Absolutely delicious this way.
Still including the cream cheese as well?
I’m curious, has anyone cooked this in an instant pot on the slow cooker setting before?
I make it in my instant pot all the time, I just set the timer for 20 min, like i would cooking chicken in it. I’ve also done the slow cooker method with my insta as well. Works great both ways. I just usually don’t have time for the slow cook lol
This is FABULOUS! I love the flavor way more than traditional Alfredo sauce. Will definitely be making this again.