I’m sharing a budget-friendly slow cooker take on Olive Garden chicken alfredo that recreates Chicken Alfredo Pasta using simple, pantry-friendly ingredients.
I never thought a slow cooker could get this close to Olive Garden, but it does. Ive spent nights testing this Crock Pot Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Pasta till it felt right, and the creamy tang from cream cheese with sharp Parmesan cheese is what sold me.
Its not fussy, yet the flavors feel like you splurged. I love that the slow cooker does the heavy lifting so I can actually eat dinner with friends instead of babysitting a pan.
If you like copycat comfort thats also cheap and easy, this one belongs in any roundup of Olive Garden Chicken Pasta Crockpot Recipes.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Lean protein, fills you up low carbs, keeps the sauce hearty and savory
- Garlic: Pungent, gives a bright savory punch, may help immunity, not sweet
- Cream cheese: Adds creamy tang, high fat, rich texture, melts into a silky sauce
- Heavy cream: Super rich, boosts calories and creaminess, makes sauce smooth and velvety
- Parmesan cheese: Nutty salty flavor, protein and calcium, gives that classic alfredo bite
- Penne pasta: Carbs for energy, soaks up sauce, comfort food, not much fiber
- Chicken broth: Thin savory base, adds salt and depth, keeps the sauce from drying
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and gloss, saturated fat ramps flavor, a little goes far
- Parsley: Fresh herb, brightens the dish, small vitamins, mostly for color and aroma
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 to 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 to 2 lb)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (one standard block)
- 1 to 1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 12 ounces dry penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
How to Make this
1. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with the Italian seasoning, minced garlic, salt and black pepper, then place the breasts in the bottom of the crock pot.
2. Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream and milk around the chicken, then drop the softened cream cheese in chunks on top, add the butter and sprinkle about half of the grated Parmesan over everything.
3. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for
1.5 to
2.5 hours, until the chicken reaches 165F and shreds easily with two forks.
4. Remove the chicken to a cutting board, shred with two forks or chop roughly, and return the shredded chicken to the crock pot; stir well so the cream cheese and butter melt into a smooth sauce. If the sauce seems separated, keep stirring and heat a little longer, it will come together.
5. While the chicken finishes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne to just al dente according to package directions, drain and reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
6. Stir the remaining Parmesan into the crock pot sauce, taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the sauce looks too thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches the creamy consistency you like.
7. Add the drained penne to the crock pot and gently toss everything together so the pasta is fully coated and the chicken is evenly distributed; heat for 5 to 10 minutes on warm or low to let flavors marry.
8. Serve immediately topped with the chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan if you want. Tip: don’t cook the pasta in the slow cooker or it will get mushy, and warm the cream cheese by cutting into cubes so it melts faster and smoother.
Equipment Needed
1. Crock pot or slow cooker (6 to 8 quart)
2. Large pot for boiling the penne
3. Colander or sieve to drain the pasta
4. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Silicone spatula or wooden spoon for stirring
7. Pair of forks for shredding the chicken, it’ll shred easy
8. Instant read thermometer to make sure chicken hits 165F
9. Cheese grater if you’re using a block of Parmesan and a small bowl to hold reserved pasta water
FAQ
Crock Pot Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Pasta Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken breasts — swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs (same weight). Thighs stay juicier and are more forgiving if you leave them in a bit longer, or use 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken and stir it in near the end to skip long cook time.
- Heavy cream — use 1 cup half and half for a lighter sauce, or 1 cup whole milk plus 3 tablespoons melted butter to mimic cream’s fat. It’ll be a bit thinner so simmer off extra liquid if you want it thick.
- Cream cheese — replace with equal parts mascarpone for a silkier richer finish, or use 6 ounces Greek yogurt mixed with 2 ounces cream cheese to cut fat but keep creaminess, just stir in off heat so it doesn’t break.
- Penne pasta — any short pasta works, like rigatoni, rotini, or fusilli, or pick whole wheat or gluten free penne. Important though, cook pasta separately or add late to avoid mushy noodles in the slow cooker.
Pro Tips
– Cube the cream cheese small and let it warm up at room temp a bit so it melts way smoother, if you toss in big cold chunks you’ll get lumps and clumps that are annoying to fix.
– If you want extra flavor, quickly sear the chicken in a hot pan for 1 to 2 minutes per side before it goes in the crock pot, it wont add much time but you’ll get a much better browned taste.
– Salt the pasta water like the sea and cook the penne just al dente, then save at least 1/2 cup of that water — it is magic for loosening the sauce without watering it down.
– If the sauce looks separated or grainy, keep stirring over low heat and add a splash of the reserved pasta water or a tiny cornstarch slurry to bring it back, and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar at the end brightens the whole dish.
Crock Pot Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Pasta Recipe
I’m sharing a budget-friendly slow cooker take on Olive Garden chicken alfredo that recreates Chicken Alfredo Pasta using simple, pantry-friendly ingredients.
6
servings
824
kcal
Equipment: 1. Crock pot or slow cooker (6 to 8 quart)
2. Large pot for boiling the penne
3. Colander or sieve to drain the pasta
4. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Silicone spatula or wooden spoon for stirring
7. Pair of forks for shredding the chicken, it’ll shred easy
8. Instant read thermometer to make sure chicken hits 165F
9. Cheese grater if you’re using a block of Parmesan and a small bowl to hold reserved pasta water
Ingredients
-
2 to 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 to 2 lb)
-
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 teaspoon salt
-
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
-
1 cup heavy cream
-
1/2 cup milk
-
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (one standard block)
-
1 to 1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
-
12 ounces dry penne pasta
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
Directions
- Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with the Italian seasoning, minced garlic, salt and black pepper, then place the breasts in the bottom of the crock pot.
- Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream and milk around the chicken, then drop the softened cream cheese in chunks on top, add the butter and sprinkle about half of the grated Parmesan over everything.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for
- 5 to
- 5 hours, until the chicken reaches 165F and shreds easily with two forks.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board, shred with two forks or chop roughly, and return the shredded chicken to the crock pot; stir well so the cream cheese and butter melt into a smooth sauce. If the sauce seems separated, keep stirring and heat a little longer, it will come together.
- While the chicken finishes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne to just al dente according to package directions, drain and reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Stir the remaining Parmesan into the crock pot sauce, taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the sauce looks too thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches the creamy consistency you like.
- Add the drained penne to the crock pot and gently toss everything together so the pasta is fully coated and the chicken is evenly distributed; heat for 5 to 10 minutes on warm or low to let flavors marry.
- Serve immediately topped with the chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan if you want. Tip: don’t cook the pasta in the slow cooker or it will get mushy, and warm the cream cheese by cutting into cubes so it melts faster and smoother.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 410g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 824kcal
- Fat: 43.9g
- Saturated Fat: 23.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.17g
- Polyunsaturated: 6.6g
- Monounsaturated: 13.2g
- Cholesterol: 221mg
- Sodium: 848mg
- Potassium: 709mg
- Carbohydrates: 46.3g
- Fiber: 1.7g
- Sugar: 3g
- Protein: 59.7g
- Vitamin A: 1500IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
- Calcium: 287mg
- Iron: 1.8mg