Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
1,778 Comments May 11, 2020
Updated Mar 01, 2025
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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 think if I make this again I’m going to swap the cream cheese with mozzarella and pepper Jack. It over powered the Italian dressing which I just love. But this was awesome to try.
That sounds great! Maybe use both? Or maybe both would be too salty? I love mozzarella cheese, so any chance to use it, and I’m in!
That sounds great! Maybe use both? Maybe that would be too salty?
Maybe half cream cheese and half mozzarella? I love mozzarella cheese, so any chance to use it, I’m in!
We are making this tomorrow, and will definitely be adding cheese!
Thanks for the tip!
Can this be frozen
Are the calories listed for the entire dish or for one serving?
One Serving.
The calculations on nutritional breakdown are off.
How much is one serving
1/8 of the recipe. Most recipes in books and online do not state a measured amount unless it’s easy to divide like a piece of pie.
Used chicken thighs,was fantastic
How many pounds of thighs did you use?
Cream cheese is not listed with I gredients, only in directions…sounds delicious tho. Everything is better with cream cheese!!!
Yes the cream cheese is definitely listed in the ingredients.
I made it and liked it. I didn’t want to cook the pasta separately, though. What I did was I followed the instructions for cooking the chicken on Low, and when it hit five hours and fifteen minutes, I shredded the chicken, added the uncooked pasta and about 15 ounces of chicken broth, and let everything cook for the remaining 45 minutes.
Thank you for sharing such a delicious and easy recipe!
I only used 18 ounces of salad dressing for 4 lbs of chicken breast. Both of my adult children loved it.
Joanne
How many people did 4lbs feed? Did you double any of the ingredients?
How long for 4 lbs of chicken on low ?
I would do 6 hours
My family loved it! Everyone has a different opinion on the flavor. One child said it tasted like a tuna macaroni, the other said it tasted like it was made with mayo none of which were true. But they gobbled it up and said it was great. I only used 1 cup of salad dressing I fear of the overwhelming tangy flavor. Also I used my instant pot which made this dish even easier to make in less than 30 minutes. The cream cheese was easy to mix until it was all creamy. Next time I’ll just add the penne pasta with the chicken to avoid an extra pan clean up. Thanks for the recipe!
What setting did you use on your insta pot?
Sorry ladies but I merely used this recipe as inspiration. I finely chopped a medium onion and some garlic added to my instant pot and sautéed for a bit with the chicken breast that I cut into bite-sized pieces then I set my pot of water to boil for the pasta. Tossed the dressing with the chicken and did a fridge clean out of some mushrooms. Stir again. Put the hunk of cream cheese on top and sealed it. Turn off the instant pot and set it to pressure for 6 minutes . Because of some Connie Complainers on here I saved the Parmesan cheese for later. I put the pasta into the boiling water and cooked 3/4 of the way with only a little bit of salt. Drained and set aside to cool off. After 6 minutes I let the IP naturally release for 10 minutes or so. When I opened the lid it did look disgusting. I gave it a stir to combine the cream cheese and added the drained pasta. Set the IP to sauté and gave it a taste. It was Delish but needed the Parmesan cheese which I only added the 1/4 cup to the pot. Remember Connie?The sauce began to thicken as it was beginning to simmer. I tossed in a handful of baby spinach because I had some and gave it a gentle thorough stir. It was ready to eat. This wasn’t rocket science and I don’t understand why some ladies have to poo poo on this recipe and whine and complain. Use your head, taste and make it work for you and your family’s taste! Don’t like Olive Garden dressing? Use something that you do like!
Best comment and advice glad someone said it!
Can you tell me how you did this in the instant pot?
Very easy to make. My family asked for seconds.