Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken

5 from 12 votes

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Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken is just like the restaurant favorite! An easy creamy pasta recipe with spinach, red peppers, and lots of garlic. A great comforting dinner idea.
Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken in a pot

Bring the restaurant home with this Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken! Pasta is tossed in a creamy garlic sauce with spinach, red peppers, garlic, and chicken.

Close up of Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken

I really love finding restaurant dishes that I love and trying to recreate them at home as close as I can, especially with Copycat Olive Garden recipes.

This Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken may not be on the menu any more, but you can recreate it at home!

Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken in a pot

Pasta Noodles

So the classic Olive Garden dish is made with malfadine pasta, which is like a wide fettuccine with edges like lasagna noodles. And the vary edges are my FAVORITE part of a lasagna noodle 🙂

It is difficult to find this pasta in most stores, so I just used fettuccine here.

Other pasta shapes can work as well. Just keep in mind the more edges you have, the less saucy it will appear.

For example, angel hair pasta being so thin means a higher number of noodles in a pound, meaning more surface to cover. Same for certain shapes like rotini that have a lot of ridges.

A fork swirling the pasta

Roasted Garlic Cloves

Garlic is the prominent flavor in the sauce and dish. I love to use roasted garlic cloves.

The roasted garlic can also be skipped, but I love getting those pockets of extra flavor in the pasta!

If you skip them, you might want to add more garlic powder to the sauce. Just taste and adjust accordingly.

The creamy sauce with vegetables being cooked

Vegetable Variations

I am a big fan of tweaking recipes for what you like or have on hand.

There are so many great vegetables you could use in this Olive Garden pasta that would taste great!

I love to add asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, or mushrooms.

Chicken laying on top of the pasta

Cooking Tips

This pasta could be made all in one pot, but it takes longer since you can only make one thing at a time.

If you are able to take your time and start earlier, it is nice to only have the one pot to clean later!

First cook the pasta, then the chicken, then the sauce, and mix when it is all done. The warm sauce will help un-stick the cooled pasta as you move it around.

You can also easily make the sauce in advance for an even faster dinner idea!

Copycat Olive Garden

Copycat recipes from Olive Garden to enjoy at home!

Pin image of Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken up close with title at top
Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken in a pot

Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken is just like the restaurant favorite! An easy creamy pasta recipe with spinach, red peppers, and lots of garlic. A great comforting dinner idea.
5 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Chicken/Turkey, Copycat, Pasta
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1087kcal

Ingredients

Chicken

Sauce

Assembly

Instructions

  • Start the water for the fettuccine pasta. Cook as per package directions until just shy of al dente (it will be added to the sauce later and will continue to cook). If the pasta is done too early, drain and set aside while reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid just in case the sauce is too thick.
  • As the pasta is cooking, make the chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 Tablespoons of oil. Place the flour in a small dish or plate and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
  • Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour to fully coat. Shake off excess flour. When the skillet and oil are hot, add the chicken. Cook approximately 5 minutes per side until browned and the chicken is cooked through. Set the chicken aside.
  • Make the sauce (I like to use the now empty pasta pot). Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat.
  • Once melted, add the 6 minced garlic cloves and garlic powder. Cook until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds.
  • Add the 2 Tablespoons of flour and stir to incorporate until there is no dry flour.
  • Whisk in the chicken stock, white wine, and heavy cream. Add the red pepper flakes, dried parsley, and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes over medium low, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the Parmesan and stir until melted.
  • Add the spinach, red peppers, and roasted garlic cloves (removed from the skins). Stir until the spinach has started to wilt, approximately 2 minutes. Season the sauce to taste.
  • Add the pasta and stir to combine and coat. Serve immediately with the chicken.

Notes

The restaurant used malfadine pasta (fettuccine with wavy edges) but fettuccine is a great substitute.
If you use a fresh pepper instead, add the strips or chopped pepper in step 7 before simmering.
Learn how to make roasted garlic which is so easy! I love to keep extra in the fridge to add to pastas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1087kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 73g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 304mg | Sodium: 1267mg | Potassium: 1473mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2335IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 5mg
By on May 19th, 2021

About Kim

Kim has grown up with a passion for cooking good food! You can find her in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes, making dog treats, and eating Italian food!

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9 thoughts on “Copycat Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken”

  1. 5 stars
    Taste just as good as Olive Garden. I think the spinach compliments this dish very well. Very delicious. Next time I will use the Olive Garden breadstick recipe to go with it.

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    That was so delicious!! But I slice the chicken breast before cooking and mix it in the pasta…fabulous, my guests adore!

    Reply
  3. 5 stars
    we’ve made this a dozen times and we love it. We do prefer to go a little easy with the roasted garlic but other then that perfect.

    Reply

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