Description
Enjoy a creamy and flavorful Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta, perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal. This recipe delivers restaurant-quality taste with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g (1lb 2oz) chicken thighs, cut into 2cm pieces, smoked paprika optional
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil
- 1 large onion (≈150g / 5oz), diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper (≈120g / 4oz), diced
- 400g (14oz) diced tomatoes, no salt added
- 250ml (1 cup) low-sodium chicken broth
- 120ml (½ cup) heavy cream
- 200g (7oz) short pasta (penne or farfalle), uncooked
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) dried oregano
- 1 tsp (5ml) dried basil
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp (30g) fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Sear Chicken: Brown chicken in olive oil, then transfer to slow cooker.
- Sauté Vegetables: Sauté onion, garlic, and pepper, then add to slow cooker.
- Combine Sauce: Add tomatoes, broth, cream, oregano, basil, and pepper flakes.
- Add Pasta: Add uncooked pasta and stir to combine.
- Slow Cook: Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
- Finish Sauce: Stir in half the Parmesan cheese.
- Rest and Serve: Rest for 5 minutes, garnish with Parmesan and parsley.
Notes
Check pasta for doneness towards the end of cooking to prevent overcooking. Using quality ingredients enhances the flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-6 hours
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
Keywords: slow cooker, pasta, chicken, olive garden, creamy, italian, easy, weeknight