Description

This Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta is a creamy, comforting meal that combines tender slow-cooked chicken with perfectly cooked penne pasta and a rich homemade Alfredo sauce. Easy to prepare with minimal hands-on time, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor from the comfort of your home using a slow cooker and stovetop techniques.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Seasoning

2 pounds chicken breasts (3 to 4 boneless skinless pieces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
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

Prepare Chicken in Slow Cooker: In the insert of your slow cooker or crockpot, place the boneless skinless chicken breasts. Sprinkle half of the kosher salt (½ teaspoon) and a quarter of the black pepper (¼ teaspoon) evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the dry Italian dressing mix evenly on top.
Add Broth and Cook: Pour the low-sodium chicken broth into the crockpot with the chicken and seasoning. Cover with the lid and set the slow cooker to HIGH. Cook for 4 hours until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks into bite-sized pieces.
Reserve Cooking Liquid: Pour out all but 1 cup of the excess liquid from the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker insert with the reserved 1 cup of seasoned cooking liquid. Turn the slow cooker to WARM to keep the chicken heated.
Cook Pasta: While the chicken keeps warm, cook the penne pasta according to package instructions, usually 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
Make Alfredo Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Once melted, whisk in the all-purpose flour, ensuring no lumps form. Add the grated fresh garlic, dried parsley, the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk to combine.
Add Dairy and Thicken Sauce: Gradually whisk in the half & half and heavy cream continuously to avoid lumps. Cook the mixture for 5 to 6 minutes, whisking often, until it begins to bubble and thickens to a creamy consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully combined.
Combine Pasta, Chicken, and Sauce: Add the cooked and drained penne pasta into the slow cooker with shredded chicken. Pour the creamy Alfredo sauce over the pasta and chicken then stir everything gently to combine and heat through.
Garnish and Serve: Optionally, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top as a garnish before serving for added freshness and color.

Notes

Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt levels in the dish.
Do not skip whisking continuously when adding dairy to avoid lumps in your Alfredo sauce.
For a thicker sauce, cook the cream mixture a bit longer until desired consistency is reached.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
Feel free to substitute penne with other pasta shapes such as rigatoni or rotini.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: Italian-American

Keywords: Slow cooker chicken pasta, Olive Garden chicken pasta, creamy chicken pasta, slow cooker Alfredo, easy pasta dinner