Olive Garden Crockpot Chicken Pasta

Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta is the easiest slow cooker recipe! With just 4 ingredients, this dump-and-go dinner makes the most flavorful, tender chicken in a rich, creamy pasta.

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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Just so easy. I don't think I have an easier slow cooker chicken recipe on the blog. With just 4 ingredients, this takes just a few minutes to prep!
• Full of flavor. The Olive Garden dressing does all the work. It's going to give your chicken a super rich, zesty flavor that's perfect in a creamy pasta dish.
• Perfect for busy weeknights. With maybe 5 minutes of work in the morning, you can come home to a delicious, simple dinner that's a total crowd-pleaser.

🍗 Ingredients & Substitutions

(See recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact ingredient measurements.)

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts - This is a "use what you have" kind of recipe, so you could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. If you're super short on time, shredded rotisserie chicken would even work!
• Olive Garden Italian Dressing - This is the star of the show. It gives your chicken amazing flavor and makes the perfect base for a creamy pasta sauce. It's available at most grocery stores now! Any creamy Italian salad dressing will work if you can't find it.
• cream cheese - It helps if your cream cheese is at room temperature before adding it to the sauce. Don't worry if it's cold though - it will still blend, just a little bit slower.
• penne pasta - The penne is perfect for this dish because it soaks up that creamy sauce without getting soggy. But, if you'd prefer, use any pasta you like!

Recipe Additions

• Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese over the top of your pasta.
• Add a veggie like broccoli, bell peppers, or spinach to your pasta. Simply add a heartier chopped vegetable at the beginning of cooking or stir in a lighter veggie (like spinach) at the end of cooking.

🍲 How to Make Crock Pot Olive Garden Chicken

Step 1: Cook chicken in the Crock Pot.

Add chicken and salad dressing to your slow cooker. Set it to low for 8 hours.

Step 2: Shred chicken.

About 30 minutes before serving, use two forks to shred the chicken. Add the block of cream cheese and allow it to melt into the sauce, stirring well.

Step 3: Add pasta & finish.

Cook pasta to al dente (just slightly underdone). Add cooked pasta to the chicken in the Crock Pot. Stir well and serve warm.

Alternate Directions: Stovetop

1. In a large stock pot, add chicken (with a little bit of olive oil) and saute for 5-6 minutes per side.
2. Add salad dressing and cream cheese. Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, until cream cheese is melted into the dressing.
3. Shred meat with two forks.
4. Cook pasta to al dente in a separate pot. Add cooked pasta to the chicken mixture and stir well.

Alternate Directions: Instant Pot

1. Add chicken and dressing to an Instant Pot. Lock on the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual, high pressure, 13 minutes.
2. Once the cook cycle is over and pressure is released, shred the chicken with two forks. Add cream cheese and stir until blended.
3. In a separate pot, cook pasta according to package directions (if you can spare a separate Instant Pot liner, you can cook the pasta in the Instant Pot!) Add cooked pasta to the chicken mixture and stir well.

🥡 Leftovers & Storage

This pasta should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy it within 3-4 days of originally cooking your meal.

To reheat, microwave single servings for about a minute each.

Can I freeze this meal?

Yes, this is a great freezer meal! Just skip the pasta and freeze your creamy chicken sauce in a large freezer bag for up to 6 months after originally making it.

When you're ready to serve, thaw the sauce in the refrigerator overnight. Toss with cooked pasta and serve your simple weeknight meal.

🍽️ How to Serve Olive Garden Chicken Pasta

I'd recommend serving this warm and within 30 minutes to an hour of mixing the pasta into the creamy chicken. The sauce is best just after you cook it.

Mixing the pasta into the creamy chicken sauce is totally optional. If you'd rather serve the chicken mixture over something like rice or mashed potatoes, just skip the pasta!

Side Item Ideas

This hearty pasta is perfect all on its own - there's no need to pair it with a side item if you're trying to make a quick and easy dinner. If you'd like, pair it with a simple side to make this meal even more special.

• Garlic breadsticks
• Simple side salad
• Sauteed green beans
• Roasted broccoli
• Roasted asparagus
• For dessert, quick brownie mix cookies or Puppy Chow Cookies.

💡 More Helpful Tips & Tricks

• After refrigerating, the sauce in this pasta can become a little thick. If this happens, just add some chicken broth or chicken stock to your pasta and stir well to thin the sauce.
• You can use frozen chicken if needed - no need to adjust the cooking time on the Crock Pot! Frozen chicken will also work if you use the Instant Pot method, but I don't recommend it for the stovetop method.

I hope you love this easy weeknight dinner! If you give the recipe a try, make sure to rate ⭐️ and review 💭 it in the comments. And follow along for the latest and greatest from the blog!