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Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 63 reviews

A comforting and creamy Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta that features tender slow-cooked chicken breasts mixed with perfectly cooked penne pasta and a rich homemade Alfredo sauce. This easy recipe combines the convenience of a crockpot with a luscious garlic-parsley cream sauce, making it an ideal hearty weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Seasonings

  • 2 pounds chicken breasts (3 to 4 pieces, boneless skinless)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided in half)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (divided in half)
  • 0.7 ounces dry Italian dressing mix
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Pasta

  • 16 ounces penne pasta

Sauce

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons fresh garlic (grated)
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 cups half & half
  • 1½ cups heavy cream
  • 1½ cups grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped, optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Chicken in Slow Cooker: Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker insert. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper evenly. Add the dry Italian dressing mix over the chicken. Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
  2. Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Reserve Cooking Liquid: Drain all but 1 cup of the liquid from the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken and the reserved 1 cup of cooking liquid back into the slow cooker. Set slow cooker to WARM to keep the chicken warm.
  4. Cook Pasta: Boil water and cook the penne pasta according to package directions (about 8 to 10 minutes). Drain the pasta well.
  5. Make Alfredo Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt unsalted butter. Whisk in the all-purpose flour, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add grated fresh garlic, dried parsley, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, whisk to combine. Slowly pour in half & half and heavy cream while whisking continuously to ensure a smooth sauce.
  6. Thicken Sauce: Continue cooking the cream mixture for 5 to 6 minutes, whisking often, until it bubbles and thickens. Remove the sauce from heat and stir in grated parmesan cheese until fully combined.
  7. Combine Pasta, Chicken, and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the shredded chicken in the slow cooker. Pour the Alfredo sauce over the mixture. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
  8. Serve and Garnish: Serve the creamy chicken pasta warm, garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

  • Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the saltiness of the dish.
  • Grate garlic fresh for the best flavor in the Alfredo sauce.
  • Be sure to whisk the cream mixture continuously to avoid lumps in the sauce.
  • Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • This dish can be made ahead by preparing the chicken and sauce separately, then combining before serving.
  • For a lighter version, substitute half & half and heavy cream with whole milk and reduce the butter slightly.

Keywords: Slow Cooker Chicken Pasta, Olive Garden Style Chicken Pasta, Slow Cooker Alfredo Pasta, Creamy Chicken Pasta, Crockpot Dinner, Easy Italian Pasta Recipe

Find it online: https://kitchenbyclara.com/slow-cooker-olive-garden-chicken-pasta-recipe/