Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Giardino Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis copycat Olive Garden Chicken Giardino recipe is delicious, creamy, and loaded with fresh spring vegetables and tender cooked chicken. Tender cooked chicken is tossed with sauteed veggies and tossed in a light parmesan cheese sauce over pasta.
Similar to pasta primavera and a light alfredo, this tasty chicken Giardino is a great family-friendly meal everyone will love. It’s creamy, delicious, flavorful, and has a variety of flavors in every bite! Make this tasty restaurant quality meal at home following our step-by-step photos and directions below.
Want more delicious copycat restaurant recipes? Try our Olive Garden spinach and artichoke dip, our copycat Olive Garden bruschetta, and serve with our copycat Olive Garden watermelon sangria!
This light and tasty pasta recipe was inspired by an OG Favorite, Chicken Giardino pasta which is a delicious and light pasta dish everyone loves when we make it! This great recipe has a medley of fresh vegetables, hearty chicken, and the creamiest parmesan sauce.
I’ve loved this dish from the first time I had it, and have made many variations of this chicken pasta dish for years! It’s a fantastic dinner for fresh spring vegetables, or for summer entertaining when you want something elegant but a little lighter.
While this recipe is no longer on the menu, you can easily make it at home! Note: This isn’t Olive Garden’s official recipe, it’s just my copycat adaptation inspired by the original recipe!
Why This Recipe Works
- Make a tasty restaurant-quality pasta at home, with all the flavors of the original!
- Its light, fresh, and so flavorful from the garlic, lemon, creamy sauce, and herbs.
- It’s loaded with fresh spring veggies – but versatile enough so you can add in your own favorites (see our Substitutions and Addition suggestions below).
- You can use either chicken breasts or pre-cooked rotisserie chicken for a simple weeknight meal you can get to the dinner table quick!
- Anyone can make this dish following our step-by-step photos and directions below!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
Chicken – I used skinless chicken breasts that I sliced into strips. You could also use chicken tenders, or boneless skinless chicken thighs.
I used farfalle (bow ties) for my pasta, but you can use another pasta of choice. See the substitutions below for our favorite suggestions.
Cloves of fresh garlic add a wonderful taste to this sauce.
Fresh asparagus with the ends trimmed. Remove bottom inch of stem where the asparagus is woody and hard.
Red peppers give this dish a nice sweetness, but you can use any color of bell pepper you wish.
Roma tomatoes, especially in season, give the sauce a wonderful sweetness and fresh flavor.
I like using both green zucchini and yellow summer squash for this dish. Slice both into half moons and saute for a wonderful addition.
Chicken stock is the base of the sauce – mixed with a roux of flour and melted parmesan cheese for a creamy sauce that coats each bite.
Fresh lemon and parsley give this dish a pop of brightness and fresh flavor!
Additions and Substitutions
If you don’t have farfalle pasta you can use pappardelle pasta, penne, rotini, or fettuccine.
Add more vegetables – 2 cups of fresh spinach will wilt nicely, or add 1 cup broccoli florets in with other vegetables as they saute.
I found the sauce to be perfectly creamy as-is, but if you want a creamier sauce add 1/2 cup heavy cream or sour cream.
Add 1/2 cup white wine into the sauce for extra flavor.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook to package directions until pasta is tender. Drain, and set aside (toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking).
Step 2: In a large pot , add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Toss in the chicken and sauté chicken strips for 7-8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through (chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit). Remove chicken from pan and set aside. See note below for using pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken.
Step 3: In the same skillet, add the butter until melted. Chop the asparagus spears into bite-sized pieces. Toss in the garlic, asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper. Saute for 8-9 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Step 4: Add in the tomatoes, and frozen peas, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Step 5: Sprinkle in the flour, and stir well so all the vegetables are coated. Pour in the chicken stock, lemon juice, and add the parmesan cheese. Stir until a thick and creamy sauce forms.
Step 6: Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. To serve, plate each bowl with cooked pasta, and add the vegetables and sauce, and top with the cooked chicken. Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
This recipe is made with cooked pasta tossed with sliced chicken, and tossed with a creamy parmesan sauce and fresh vegetables like asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and peas.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate and enjoy within 4 days.
Yes, this recipe is great for meal prepping! Make this recipe on a Sunday, and portion into individual servings for easy lunch or dinners that are ready during the week! All you need to do is heat and eat.
Expert Tips
- When chopping the different vegetables, make them roughly the same size. You want the pieces small enough to be bite-sized and consistent.
- Don’t want to cook your own chicken? Rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe! Simply slice the cooked chicken meat into strips and toss it in with the sauce until heated and warm.
- Season to taste. Everyone’s preferences for salt and pepper vary. Before fully digging in, taste the pasta and add a bit more salt and pepper (or fresh herbs) if needed.
More Veggie-Packed Pasta Recipes
- Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pasta Recipe
- Yard House Shiitake Garlic Noodles Copycat Recipe
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe (Sam’s Club Copycat)
- Ground Turkey Bolognese
- Creamy Jerk Chicken Pasta Recipe (Bahama Breeze Copycat)
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Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Giardino
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb farfalle pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bunch asparagus ends trimmed and discarded
- 1 zucchini sliced into half moons
- 1 yellow squash sliced into half moons
- 3 Roma tomatoes diced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup parsley plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook to package directions until pasta is tender. Drain, and set aside (toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking).
- In a large pot , add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Toss in the chicken and sauté chicken strips for 7-8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through (chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit). Remove chicken from pan and set aside. See note below for using pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken.
- In the same skillet, add the butter until melted. Chop the asparagus spears into bite-sized pieces. Toss in the garlic, asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, bell pepper, and frozen peas. Saute for 8-9 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Sprinkle in the flour, and stir well so all the vegetables are coated. Pour in the chicken stock, lemon juice, and add the parmesan cheese. Stir until a thick and creamy sauce forms.
- Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. To serve, plate each bowl with cooked pasta, and add the vegetables and sauce, and top with the cooked chicken. Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley and enjoy!
Notes
- When chopping the different vegetables, make them roughly the same size. You want the pieces small enough to be bite-sized and consistent.
- Don’t want to cook your own chicken? Rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe! Simply slice the cooked chicken meat into strips and toss it in with the sauce until heated and warm.
- Season to taste. Everyone’s preferences for salt and pepper vary. Before fully digging in, taste the pasta and add a bit more salt and pepper (or fresh herbs) if needed.
Nutrition
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