Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
1,849 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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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.
Can this be made with frozen chicken breasts?
No, I always thaw first.
My chicken breast were frozen turned out awesome
We add a 1/4 cup Alfredo sauce to it and gives it a smoother flavor!
I love this. My few changes I found low sodium Olive garden Italian dressing. I didn’t add the extra parmesan at the end. My husband likes mozzarella soni added it to his plate. Served on top of broccoli. Yummy. It was pretty easy also. At the end before the noodles I turned the crockpot on high to melt the cream cheese better. When noodles were done cheese was softer and melted better with noodles. Thank you.
I’d love to add broccoli to this dish while it cooked but when would be the best time to add it so it cooks well and soaks up the flavors of the dressing and cheese?
I would do the last hour.
What is a serving size? I love that you have the nutritional facts but I am not see what serving size equals your specific facts
Thanks!
I do not have that info I apologize.
It says at the top that it serves 8. So once it is broken down to eight servings then that will give you your calorie count of 568.
Hi! I was wondering: do you need to cook the pasta first? I’ve read you can put raw pasta in the slow cooker 15-20 minutes before you take it out and it’ll cook fine. I’ve never tried it, though.
For what its worth I haven’t made this exact recipe but I have made a similar one so I’m rating it 4. It requires I rate it and I loved the other recipe, which is basically identical except for the cream cheese and the pasta. When we made it the chicken turned out really tender and filled with the flavor of the olive garden dressing. It’s a family favorite now. I found this while looking up how to add pasta to it.
Hi, when you add dried pasta to the slow cooker it doesn’t taste right. The slow cooker doesn’t get hot enough to boil it, instead it turns it into a gluey, chalky mess.
I agree do not put pasta in the slow cooker. I’ve even tried macaroni and cheese. Don’t do it it doesn’t taste the same the noodles don’t come out right. My opinion.
One of the worst pasta recipe. Simply gross.
Can you use frozen chicken breasts?
I don’t give advice on frozen meats in the slow cooker. Some studies suggest it isn’t safe.
If anyone says this is disgusting, then they didn’t make it right lol I make this ALL the time. Definitely one of my all time favorites ❤️
I made this recipe today and served with garlic bread it was excellent. I have a question my granddaughter is a vegetarian is there away to make this dish without chicken. Th Sara for sharing.
I haven’t tried this but gardein makes great faux chicken
This is an awesome dish. Super easy to make and tastes so good it is hard to stop eating.