• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Hangry Economist logo
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • 30 Minutes or Less
    • Healthy-ish
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Sides
  • Lifestyle
    • DC/MD/VA Local Finds
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Lifestyle
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About Us
    • Lifestyle
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes

    Copycat Applebee's Three Cheese Chicken Penne

    Published: Feb 27, 2023 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This copycat Applebee's three cheese chicken penne is our favorite pasta recipe. It's super cheesy, creamy, fresh, and delicious. We season our chicken with Italian-inspired herbs, make our own three-cheese cream sauce, and top the pasta with a homemade bruschetta that's super delicious and easy to make. This may be a copycat recipe, but it's better than the real thing.

    A serving bowl full of creamy three cheese penne topped with bruschetta tomatoes and chicken.

    I grew up in the Midwest, where chain restaurants are everything. I've had the three cheese chicken penne at Applebee's countless times, and while I keep ordering it, it's not as good as I remember it being when I was a kid. This copycat Applebee's three cheese chicken penne though? It's so so good. I'd eat it every night if I could.

    Most copycat recipes call for jarred alfredo sauce. We make our own three cheese cream sauce, and it's so dang easy and delicious. After making this sauce, you'll never want to buy pasta sauce again. We top this pasta with homemade bruschetta, and oh my gosh, it's the best. It lightens up this heavy dish in the best way and makes it the perfect spring or summer pasta recipe.

    Looking for other easy summer pasta recipes? Try our creamy red pepper and tomato pasta, spicy sausage pasta, or creamy red pepper, spinach, and shrimp pasta.

    A bowl of three cheese chicken penne topped with tomatoes.
    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients and Subsitutions
    • Instructions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Copycat Applebee's Three Cheese Chicken Penne Recipe

    Key Ingredients and Subsitutions

    For the bruschetta topping:

    • Cherry or grape tomatoes- You can also use a regular diced tomato, but we prefer the taste of cherry tomatoes. They tend to be sweeter and better year-round.
    • Balsamic vinegar
    • Fresh basil
    • Fresh minced garlic
    • Other ingredients- salt and black pepper, olive oil

    For the pasta and chicken:

    • Chicken breast- You can also use chicken breast tenderloins or chicken thighs. Use whatever you have on hand or prefer. You'll be cutting it into small chunks anyway, so the shape and size don't matter.
    • Penne pasta
    • Asiago cheese
    • White cheddar cheese- Get a good-quality white cheddar cheese. It makes all the difference!
    • Parmesan cheese- Get fresh parmesan cheese, not the fake unrefrigerated stuff in the canisters.
    • Heavy whipping cream
    • Chicken broth
    • Other ingredients- olive oil, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, and red pepper flakes

    See recipe card for amounts.

    Instructions

    Step 1: Make the bruschetta. Add tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, basil, garlic, salt, black pepper, and olive oil to a small mixing bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

    Bruschetta in a mixing bowl.

    Step 2: Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain it and set aside.

    Step 3: Add raw chicken, olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes to a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything is combined and the chicken is evenly coated.

    Seasoned raw chicken chunks in a mixing bowl.

    Step 4: Add olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165°F. Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

    Raw chicken cooking in a pan.
    Cooked chicken in a pan.

    Step 5: Turn the heat to medium-low. In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the cream. Bring the cream to a simmer, about 3 minutes, then add the asiago, parmesan, white cheddar, and a dash of pepper. Let the cheese melt, then add the chicken broth. Let it simmer and thicken for 5-7 minutes, until it reaches your desired consistency.

    Cream bubbling in a saucepan.
    Cheesy cream cooking in a saucepan.

    Step 6: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Add it to a serving bowl, then top with the chicken. Drain most of the liquid off of the bruschetta, then add the tomatoes to the top of the pasta. Serve immediately while the sauce is still super soupy and delicious. Top with extra cheese if that's your thing.

    Penne in a cream sauce in a saucepan.
    A spoonful of three cheese chicken penne.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I use milk instead of cream?

    We tested this recipe with whole milk instead of cream, and the sauce just wasn't the same. It tasted great, but the creaminess just wasn't there. We don't recommend it.

    Can I use a different kind of pasta?

    You can! Any short-grain pasta would work well.

    How do I store and reheat this pasta?

    Store the leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, put the leftover pasta in a saucepan over medium heat with a little bit of extra cream and heat until warm. You can also reheat it in the microwave with a little bit of extra cream and cheese for about a minute.

    Copycat Applebee's Three Cheese Chicken Penne Recipe

    Copycat Applebee's Three Cheese Chicken Penne Recipe

    Recipe by Mollie

    This copycat Applebee's three cheese chicken penne is our favorite pasta recipe. It's super cheesy, creamy, fresh, and delicious. We season our chicken with Italian-inspired herbs, make our own cheesy cream sauce, and top the pasta with a homemade bruschetta that's super delicious and easy to make. This may be a copycat recipe, but it's better than the real thing.

    Course: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
    5 from 6 votes
    Pin
    Print
    Servings

    6

    servings
    Prep time

    10

    minutes
    Cooking time

    20

    minutes
    Calories

    750

    kcal
    Total time

    30

    minutes
    Cook Mode

    Prevent your screen from going dark!

    Ingredients

    • For the bruschetta:
    • 8 ounces 8 cherry or grape tomatoes, diced

    • 2 tablespoons 2 olive oil

    • 2 teaspoons 2 balsamic vinegar

    • ¼ cup ¼ basil leaves, chopped or cut into ribbons

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ salt

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ black pepper

    • 4 cloves 4 garlic, minced

    • For the pasta and chicken:
    • 16 ounces 16 penne pasta

    • 1.5 pounds 1.5 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

    • 2 tablespoons 2 olive oil, divided

    • 3 tablespoons 3 Italian seasoning

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ salt

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ black pepper

    • 1 teaspoon 1 paprika

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ red pepper flakes

    • 2 cups 2 heavy whipping cream

    • 1 cup 1 asiago cheese, grated

    • 1 cup 1 white cheddar cheese, grated

    • ½ cup ½ parmesan cheese, grated

    • ½ cup ½ chicken broth

    Directions

    • Add the bruschetta ingredients to a small mixing bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
    • Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain it and set aside.
    • Add chicken, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes to a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything is combined and the chicken is evenly coated.
    • Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165°F. Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove it from the pan and set it aside.
    • Turn the heat to medium-low. In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the cream. Bring the cream to a simmer, about 3 minutes, then add the asiago, parmesan, white cheddar, and a dash of pepper. Let the cheese melt, then add the chicken broth. Let it simmer and thicken for 5-7 minutes, until it reaches your desired consistency.
    • Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Add it to a serving bowl, then top with the chicken. Drain most of the liquid off of the bruschetta, then add the tomatoes to the top of the pasta. Serve immediately while the sauce is still super soupy and delicious. Top with extra cheese.

    Notes

    • High quality parmesan cheese (not the unrefrigerated stuff in the canister) works best.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag and follow @hangryeconomist on Instagram

    Like this recipe?

    Follow @hangryeconomist on Pinterest

    More Recipes

    • Air fryer baby carrots in a serving bowl topped with green garnish.
      Air Fryer Baby Carrots
    • Brown butter sage ravioli in a bowl with peas and parmesan cheese.
      Brown Butter Sage Ravioli
    • Two purple rain cocktails garnished with lime.
      Purple Rain Cocktail
    • Strawberries, basil, and halloumi on skewers on a serving plate.
      Strawberry and Halloumi Skewers

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    hi, we're Michael and Mollie

    Welcome! We are Michael & Mollie, a hangry economics enthusiast and her husband. Our goal is to provide you with delicious, accessible, and healthy-ish recipes that are both time- and money-efficient.

    More about us →

    trending Recipes

    • A bowl of creamy red pepper and tomato pasta garnished with basil.
      Creamy Red Pepper and Tomato Pasta
    • Escabeche Vegetable Salad
    • A grilled cheese burger in a basket with chips and tomato slices.
      Grilled Cheese Burger
    • Coconut Water Mocktail

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    • Email us

    Copyright © 2022 The Hangry Economist

    We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Learn more here.

    The Hangry Economist
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.