My Food Recipe Videos

Nov 5, 2021

Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken

This crockpot Olive Garden chicken is to die for! The juicy and tender chicken cooked with some pasta is insanely delicious! Plus, it’s super easy which is a total win-win!

I love an easy and delicious crockpot meal! If you want to try more meals like this, you should start with Soup, this Beef and Broccoli, and this amazing Lasagna!

Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken (with Pasta!)

I love a recipe that I can whip up at the last minute and still have it taste delicious!! This Olive Garden crockpot chicken and pasta is the perfect meal! It only takes 5 minutes to put together! Then, it cooks all day and you don’t have to do a thing! Cook up some Broccoli, Asparagus, or this delicious salad and you have a meal to remember!

This recipe only uses 5 ingredients! And one is a bottle of Olive Garden salad dressing. The dressing is SO GOOD and when you mix it with the chicken and cheeses, it takes it to a whole new level! I also love that you just throw in some cooked pasta again and the meal is done! My kids go crazy over this and are so impatient that they want to just eat it straight out of the crockpot! Go ahead and try it! You are going to love it!

Ingredients for Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken

This recipe only uses 5 ingredients…. yes, 5! It’s so easy and delicious, you have to try it! See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.

Chicken breasts: Use fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
Olive Garden Italian dressing: This dressing is SO GOOD! Using the entre bottle will make it so you get all of that amazing flavor!
Parmesan: I just used parmesan cheese from the can! It’s super easy and you probably already have it in your fridge.
Cream cheese: This makes that sauce texture taste so creamy. And you can’t beat the tangy flavor of cream cheese!
Pasta: Cook up the pasta right before the chicekn is done and all you have to do is throw it right in and mix it up!

Ingredients laid out for Olive Garden crockpot chicken.

Let’s Cook Some Chicken!

This meal is really a set it and forget it kind of meal! It only takes a few minutes to put it together and then you can enjoy it as soon as it’s done!

Add chicken and dressing: Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker laying flat. Pour the whole bottle or homemade olive garden dressing over top the chicken.
Add cheeses and cook: Sprinkle parmesan over top the chicken and dressing. Place the block of cream cheese on top. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Cook pasta: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Shred the chicken, add pasta and serve: Using 2 forks or shredders, shred the chicken evenly. Use ¼ cup parmesan and sprinkle over top the chicken. Add in the pasta and stir until well combined. Serve while hot.

Chicken being placed in a crockpot and ingredients being added on top of it.

Tips for Cooking with a Crockpot

Using a crockpot is easy but try out these tips and it will make cooking with one even easier! You may never go back to cooking on your stove again! This crockpot Olive Garden chicken is the perfect place to start!

Keep the lid ON: I know it’s tempting to want to take the lid off and check on your food! But a crockpot is designed to do its thing with the lid ON. Keep the lid on and don’t let out all of that heat that has been built up! Just look throught the glass and trust your recipe!
Preheat your crockpot: A lot of people don’t do this and it really is a step that should always be taken. Turn your crockpot on to the correct setting about 20 minutes before you plan on putting your food it. You can just turn it on while you prep your food!
Spray it: If you spray your slow cooker with cooking spray before you put your food in, then your cleanup will be so much easier! This helps so that your food doesn’t stick to the sides. Trust me, it’s an easy step that you will appreciate doing later!

Chicken and pasta on a plate with a fork.

How to Store Leftovers

If you have some leftovers with this dish then consider yourself lucky! This crockpot Olive Garden chicken and pasta is so delicious the next day! Once the food has cooled them store it in an airtight container in your fridge. It will last for 3-4 days! When you are ready to eat, you can heat it up in your microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through!

Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken

This Olive Garden crockpot chicken is to die for! The juicy and tender chicken cooked with some pasta is insanely delicious! Plus, it's super easy which is a total win-win!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword crock pot olive garden chicken, olive garden chicken

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours 15 minutes

Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes

Servings people

Calories 414kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

1.5 pounds chicken breasts
1 (16 ounce bottle ) Olive Garden Italian dressing or homemade Olive Garden Italian Dressing
½ cup grated parmesan
8 ounces cream cheese
16 ounces cooked pasta

Instructions

Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker laying flat. Pour the whole bottle or homemade olive garden dressing over top the chicken.
Sprinkle parmesan over top the chicken and dressing. Place the block of cream cheese on top. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Using 2 forks or shredders, shred the chicken evenly. Use ¼ cup parmesan and sprinkle over top the chicken. Add in the pasta and stir until well combined. Serve while hot.

Nutrition

Grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust

7:01 PM The Recipe Critic No comments

Tender, buttery, and easy-to-make, my Grandma’s perfect pie crust is everything you need this Thanksgiving. It’s so foolproof, you won’t want store-bought again!

No matter the pie you want, this crust will make it shine. Chocolate, peach, and apple pies are some of my favorites on the blog. They’re all insanely good, I highly recommend you put them in the Thanksgiving pie lineup this year!

Top-down view of pie crust in white dish.

Super Easy Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

My grandma knew how to make the best pies every year for Thanksgiving. Aside from the absolutely divine fillings, the crusts she made were always tender and flaky! Every year we would look forward to going to my Grandma’s for Thanksgiving. She was the BEST cook. She raised 8 kids and had a home-cooked meal on the table for them each night. Everything she made was from scratch. Growing up, I remember staying a few weeks in the summer with her and she was always baking bread or a batch of peanut butter cookies. As soon as the warm bread came out of the oven she would slice it up and we would eat an entire loaf. You can find that recipe here and join in on the deliciousness!

But really, the best part about Thanksgiving was her pies. You couldn’t wait to finish the meal to have a slice of her cherry pie. In all honesty, I have yet to try a better pie. She would make them all herself and you couldn’t get enough! Her crusts were tender and perfect. In my opinion the best! Sometimes making any kind of dough from scratch can seem intimidating, but today I am going to show you how easy it is! The crust comes together in just a matter of minutes and you probably already have all of the ingredients on hand. Trust me, it’s going to enhance any pie you make! If any recipe is a staple, it’s this one! I’ve included a printable graphic to have on hand for all of your baking needs. Let’s keep the tradition going!

Grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust Ingredient List

Simplicity is key! The best pies start out with a flaky, golden crust with no frills. This pie crust will bring your whole pie together with just pantry staples! Measurements can be found in the printable graphic or recipe card at the end of the post.

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour works great for acheiving a soft, flaky crust. It doesn’t have a high protein content, so it will keep the structure nice and light. You can also use a low-protein pastry flour.
Salt: You need a little salt to enhance the overall flavor.
Shortening: This is needed for fat content. You can also substitute it with butter, margarine, or even coconut oil!
Cold Water: This is used to moisten the dough. Be sure to keep it cold! Cooler temperatures is the secret to a nice and flaky pie crust.

Using a pastry blender to cut ingredients.

How to Make the Perfect Pie Crust

Making a solid pie crust isn’t difficult at all. All you need is a little love and attention to detail! You’re going to love it. It’s better than anything you can get from the store!

Mix Dry Ingredients and Shortening: In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening till pea sized.
Moisten: Next, we add some cold water. Sprinkle water on top one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side. Mix until all flour is moistened. Don’t mix too much or your crust will be hard.
Shape and Roll Out: Form into a ball and roll out on floured surface. Turn and flour dough a few times till its the size you need. It’s now ready for all of your favorite fillings!

Pie Filling Ideas

Whether you want a classic pie, or you’re looking to switch things up a little, I’ve got you covered! From chocolate to citrus, cinnamon to sweet, there’s a pie for everyone. And the good news is, it will taste amazing on your freshly-made pie crust! You can find more delish pie recipes here.

Desserts

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Desserts

Caramel Apple Pie

Desserts

Sweet Potato Pie

Desserts

Amazing Decadent Pecan Pie

Making a Successful Pie Crust

Making a pie crust from scratch is both tasty and impressive! Here are a few simple tips and tricks to make your crust bakery-worthy. You’re going to love how it turns out!

Use Chilled Ingredients: The secret to a flaky crust is to use refrigerated ingredients. Warm ingredients can make your dough tough and dense.
Don’t Overmix: As with other homemade pastries, don’t overwork your dough. It can cause gluten to develop and make your crust chewy and hard. You only want to mix your dough until it sticks together and you can start shaping it into a ball.
Add Water as You Go: Add too much water and your dough might be hard to salvage. Add too little water and it will be dry and crack. To avoid these extremes, add a little bit of water at a time and mix gently until you have reached your desired consistency.
Use a Food Processor: Instead of using a pastry blender to cut ingredients together, you can pop your mixture in a food processor and blend for short intervals. Once it is blended smoothly, you can remove and begin adding water to moisten.
Adding Flavors: One tip that is often overlooked is that you can flavor your dough! Whether it be a hint of pumpkin spice, fresh herbs, lemon zest, vanilla, almond extract, or sugar and cocoa powder, it can really take your pie up a notch! You’ve got a flavorful filling- why not add flavor to your crust, too?

Storing and Making Pie Crust Dough Ahead

You can easily store your pie crust and use it later if you’re not ready to bake! It will be just as flaky and delicious as the day you prepared it!

In the Refrigerator: Wrap a ball of uncooked dough in plastic wrap. It will stay good for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before rolling out or it may crack.
In the Freezer: Pie crusts are great for freezing and using later. I recommend shaping your dough into a pie pan before freezing. This way, you don’t need to thaw it and it can go straight into the oven. If you’ve frozen a ball of dough, allow it to thaw overnight and then come to room temperature before rolling out. Both shaped crusts and balls of dough need to be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap before freezing.

A Reader’s Review

“Thank you for posting Grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust recipe! I have tried dozens of recipes but could never get the crust to stay together. It makes me happy to be able to make a good pie crust that not only stays together but tastes fantastic!!!”

Ginger

Grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust

My grandma knew how to make the best pies every year for Thanksgiving. The crust is tender and flaky and so easy to make! You will never buy from the store again!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade pie crust, pie crust

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings Slices

Calories 147kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers