Here’s a delicious Slow Cooker Olive Garden-Style Chicken Pasta 🍗🍝 — creamy, cheesy, and full of comforting Italian flavors.
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, diced or whole
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 8 oz uncooked pasta (penne or rotini works best)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional: fresh parsley or basil for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare slow cooker
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add chicken & aromatics
- Place chicken, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker.
- Stir to combine.
- Cook
- Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours until chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Cook pasta separately
- About 10 minutes before serving, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
- Combine & add cream
- Stir in heavy cream and cooked pasta into the slow cooker.
- Add mozzarella and Parmesan, stirring until melted and creamy.
- Serve
- Garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
- Serve hot with garlic bread or a side salad.
Tips
- Extra flavor: Sauté the onion and garlic first for a deeper flavor before adding to the slow cooker.
- Thicker sauce: Remove lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to let sauce reduce slightly.
- Vegetable boost: Add spinach, mushrooms, or bell peppers for extra nutrition.
If you want, I can give you a one-pot version where the pasta cooks right in the slow cooker with the chicken — even less cleanup 😄
Do you want me to do that?
