Crock Pot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
My crock pot Olive Garden pasta has juicy chicken in a flavorful and creamy sauce topped with crunchy cheesy breadcrumbs. This easy slow cooker recipe is one of the best pastas I've ever tasted!
We love easy crock pot dinners like slow cooker chicken pot pie, Cajun chicken pasta, and garlic butter steak bites. Our newest favorite it this crock pot olive garden pasta. It's so good we made it twice in one week! The chicken takes on so much flavor from cooking in the tangy dressing, and you're going to love the crunchy topping! Serve with garlic bread, breadsticks, wedding soup, or salad for the perfect meal.
Why Our Recipe Is the Best: A Sprinkle of Food Science
- We Sear Our Chicken: This adds color and flavor that the moist cooking environment of the slow cooker can't deliver. It also gives us fond (tasty browned bits) as the base of our sauce.
- We Cook Our Pasta Separately: This not only prevents it from overcooking but also allows us to control the amount of pasta water in our sauce. Just a bit of the starchy water helps bind the sauce and make it creamy without a dairy.
- We Add Breadcrumbs: The texture of crock pot meals can be one note. Toasting breadcrumbs in the oven gives us a crispy crunchy topping.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Olive Garden Dressing: If you can't find this Italian dressing is a good substitute or make your own.
- Cream Cheese: Always use full fat as it less likely to separate. Be sure to soften it and cut it into cubes to help it melt smoothly.
- Parmesan: For the best results grate your own Parmesan. It will have much better flavor. Be sure to save the rind as well for the next time you make soup.
- Broth: Grab low sodium as we have a lot of salty ingredients in this recipe already.
- Pasta: I like penne. You could also use rotini, cavatappi, or ziti. Avoid small or thin pastas like angel hair which can overcook more quickly.
- Panko: We like panko as its crumbs are large and flaky which means they cook up crunchy.
Krystle's Tip
Cook pasta until just al dente. It will continue to cook in the hot sauce.
Yes thighs cook up super juicy and are more forgiving if you overcook them slightly. Adjust the cooking time slightly to 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
More Easy Crock Pot Dinners
Crock Pot Pork Chops and Stuffing
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📖 Recipe
Best Crock Pot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
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Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper To Taste
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese Softened and Cubed
- 1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 16 Ounces Olive Garden Salad Dressing
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese Freshly Grated
- 16 Ounces Penne Pasta
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley Roughly Chopped, If Desired For Garnish
For the Topping
- 1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Melted
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese Freshly Grated
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Transfer the chicken to slow cooker. Deglaze pan with chicken broth scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- Add liquid to slow cooker along with cream cheese and salad dressing. Mix and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 2½–3 hours.
- Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Return it to the slow cooker and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Do not overcook as it will continue to cook in the sauce. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Stir the cooked pasta into the slow cooker. If needed, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the panko with the melted butter, and Parmesan. Spread onto a small baking sheet and bake for 3–5 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown.
- Sprinkle each serving with the toasted breadcrumbs and garnish with parsley if desired.
Nutrition
