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I'm all about saving money with dupes and copycats, especially when it comes to eating like you're at a restaurant at home! It turns out that I'm not the only one who enjoys making restaurant-inspired dishes at the house. Hello, COVID-19?!?!? We didn't have any choice if we wanted to enjoy our culinary favorites while everything was locked down.  As a result, I've gotten quite crafty in my kitchen with my trusty crockpot during the pandemic. Yes, I am the self-proclaimed crockpot queen!. In fact, I found I'm not alone when it comes to crockpot culinary delights this past Friday when I was making a special black-eyed pea and cabbage crockpot dish for some friends for New Year's Day. Crockpots are pretty much symbolic of comfort foods. Olive Garden is known for its comfort food as well. That makes this dupe recipe even better! Here's what you'll need in addition to your crockpot:

1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Olive Garden Italian Kitchen Signature Italian Dressing 16 oz.
Salt and pepper.
Garlic powder.
2 6 oz bags of finely shredded parmesan cheese.
8 oz block of cream cheese.
Elbow macaroni.

Go ahead and throw your chicken breasts in the crockpot then cover with the bottle of Olive Garden Italian dressing. Then you'll want to season to taste and add your block of cream cheese and one of the bags of parmesan cheese. Go ahead and crank your crockpot up, throw on the lid, and let the magic happen. Check the chicken a few hours later and if it appears to be cooked through, go ahead and boil your elbow macaroni on the stovetop. While that's boiling, you'll want to use two forks to shred the chicken in your crockpot. When you're done shredding the chicken and your macaroni is finished, add it to the crockpot. At this point, go ahead and add the second bag of parmesan cheese and turn down your crockpot. In about an hour, all of the flavors should have melded into the perfect gustatory storm of goodness!

FYI, never undercook chicken. Here's a guide to making sure your chicken is thoroughly cooked when using your crockpot. I'm making this dish tonight. Wish me luck!

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