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This crockpot Olive Garden chicken is to die for! The juicy and tender chicken cooked with some pasta is insanely delicious! Plus, it’s super easy which is a total win-win!
I love an easy and delicious crockpot meal! If you want to try more meals like this, you should start with Soup, this Beef and Broccoli, and this amazing Lasagna!
Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken (with Pasta!)
I love a recipe I can whip up at the last minute and still taste delicious!! This Olive Garden crockpot chicken and pasta is the perfect meal! It only takes 5 minutes to put together! Then, it cooks all day, and you don’t have to do a thing! Cook up some Broccoli, Asparagus, or this delicious salad, and you have a meal to remember!
This recipe only uses 5 ingredients! And one is a bottle of Olive Garden salad dressing. The dressing is SO GOOD, and when you mix it with the chicken and cheeses, it takes it to a whole new level! I also love that you just throw in some cooked pasta again, and the meal is done! My kids go crazy over this and are so impatient that they want to just eat it straight out of the crockpot! Another delicious cheesy recipe you won’t want to miss is my creamy four cheese pasta!
Ingredients for Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken
This recipe only uses 5 ingredients…. yes, 5! It’s so easy and delicious, you have to try it! See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.
- Chicken breasts: Use fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Olive Garden Italian dressing: This dressing is SO GOOD! Using the entire bottle will let you get all of that amazing flavor!
- Parmesan: I just used Parmesan cheese from the can! It’s super easy, and you probably already have it in your fridge.
- Cream cheese: This makes the sauce texture taste so creamy. And you can’t beat the tangy flavor of cream cheese!
- Pasta: Cook the pasta right before the chicken is done, then just throw it in and mix it up!
Let’s Cook Some Chicken!
This is a true set-it-and-forget-it meal. Just a few minutes of prep, then let the slow cooker work its magic! Love easy crockpot pasta recipes? Be sure to check out my Crockpot Million Dollar Pasta, and crockpot poppy seed chicken, too!
- Add chicken and dressing: Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker laying flat. Pour the whole bottle or homemade olive garden dressing over top the chicken.
- Add cheeses and cook: Sprinkle parmesan over the top of the chicken and dressing. Place the block of cream cheese on top. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Cook pasta: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Shred the chicken, add pasta, and serve: Using 2 forks or shredders, shred the chicken evenly. Use 1/4 cup of Parmesan and sprinkle it over the top of the chicken. Add in the pasta and stir until well combined. Serve while hot.
Crockpot Cooking Tips
Using a crockpot is already easy. These quick tips make it even better.
- Keep the lid on: Lifting the lid lets heat escape and slows cooking. Trust the process and peek through the glass.
- Preheat first: Turn it on about 20 minutes before adding food. Do it while you prep.
- Spray it: A quick coat of cooking spray prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
Olive Garden Chicken Freezer Meal Instructions
Instructions:
- Add & Mix: Add the bottle of dressing and parmesan cheese to a gallon-sized, freezer-safe, sealable storage bag and mix well.
- Add, Coat, & Freeze: Add the chicken to the bag with the sauce and mix to coat the chicken in the sauce. Press out as much air as possible, seal the bag, and freeze it flat for better storage.
Reheat:
- Thaw Slightly: Pull the bag out of the freezer one hour before cooking to let it thaw slightly on the counter before cooking.
- Cook: Place the contents of the bag and the softened cream cheese into the crockpot. Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
- Shred: Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and mix to coat it in the sauce.
- Cook Pasta & Serve: Cook the penne noodles according to package instructions and drain well. Stir the noodles into the chicken mixture and serve!
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Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 (16 ounce bottle ) Olive Garden Italian dressing or homemade Olive Garden Italian Dressing
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 16 ounces cooked pasta
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker laying flat. Pour the whole bottle or homemade olive garden dressing over top the chicken.
- Sprinkle parmesan over top the chicken and dressing. Place the block of cream cheese on top. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Using 2 forks or shredders, shred the chicken evenly. Use 1/4 cup parmesan and sprinkle over top the chicken. Add in the pasta and stir until well combined. Serve while hot.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Store Leftovers
If you have some leftovers with this dish then consider yourself lucky! This crockpot Olive Garden chicken and pasta is so delicious the next day! Once the food has cooled them store it in an airtight container in your fridge. It will last for 3-4 days! When you are ready to eat, you can heat it up in your microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through!
More Delicious Crockpot Recipes
I love crockpot meals, they’re easy and always turn out juicy and delicious. My Crockpot Chicken Alfredo is a fave, but honestly, you’ll want to try them all!
If you add about a cup of chicken broth it takes a bit of the oiliness away! But either way soooo good! If I don’t HAVE chicken brother I don’t go buying it cause it’s definitely not NEEDED, just preferred.
A fav in my household.
Fantastic recipe and one of our favorites now! I love to share your recipe (giving you all the credit) with others! I make your recipe completely as is. I’m not sure why all the reviews stating otherwise, as this is perfect! I did try to only use part of the bottle of dressing once, but you definitely need the whole bottle. Pasta absorbs it and especially on leftovers and would be too dry otherwise. We sometimes reheat leftovers with an extra drizzle of dressing and olive oil. Thanks for all of your great recipes!
This is the sweetest comment Mary, thank you! I feel honored, and thank you for sharing my recipes! I love to make people happy with food! Thats what it’s all about!
Hi Alyssa,
My wife and i have enjoyed several of your recipes thus far. We found this Olive Garden Chicken flavor much to strong for our taste. I assume it was the whole bottle of Italian dressing that was so overpowering.
We are not discouraged however, and look forward to trying some of your other recipes.
I loved this! I added broccoli half an hour before it was done cooking and half a cup of water at the beginning since someone said there was no sauce left. I used Banzai pasta to add more protein and fiber and it was so good. Will definitely make again!
There was no sauce at the end it was very dried out.
I followed this recipe but added fresh spinach and mushrooms. Very easy meal to prepare.
Can I use ranch salad dressing instead of the Italian dressing?
Yes, that should work great as well!
How do I put recipies in catagory in my recipie list or does it happen automatically
This was awful! I wish I read the comments before trying this.
I really wanted to like this. I love Olive Garden! However, it was just too tart. Maybe too much salad dressing? I tried to calm it down a bit but just didn’t work. Love all the other recipes I have tried.
This can be very salty. I use only half of the bottled salad dressing and I add in 1 can of cream of chicken soup. That cuts down on it tasting so salty and makes it a creamy consistency.
It was very flavorful but extremely salty. I’m not sure why unless it was the dressing. We couldn’t finish it.
I love Alyssas recipes but this one did not turn out for me at all. Im not sure what I did wrong.
Hi Lasha, I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out for you! I’m here to help you troubleshoot the recipe if you need it!
How much parmesan cheese do you put in initially with the chicken? The recipe calls for 1.2 Parmesan cheese; do I put 1/2 cup in with the chicken before it is cooked? After you shred the chicken the recipe calls for 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Do I split the 1/2 cup or is the cheese at the end additional?
I add 1/4 cup initially and then 1/4 cup when I add in the pasta.
Spot on delish! We love this recipe. I have made this many times. The only thing I add is a side of mock olive garden salad.
Although easy and I love the ingredients, it was missing something.I didnt hate it or love it. My husband did not like the chicken shredded,I may cok it again but only for a large gathering for something easy.
5 stars! My daughter sent me this wonderful crockpot recipe- Olive Garden pasta with chicken! Oh my goodness!! This is so good. This will be one of my potluck dishes for the upcoming winter holidays!! Thank you for sharing ??