Chicken Pasta Recipe
Calories: 461kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 4 servings
Description
This chicken pasta recipe is comfort food and dinner in just 15 minutes. Chicken pieces cooked a creamy white sauce, then tossed with pasta, green peas, and olives. Perfect when you need a super-quick meal using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pasta penne or similar
- 1 lb Chicken
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- ½ cup Onion chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon Garlic minced
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon All-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoon Parmesan
- 4 tablespoon Gruyere
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg freshly grated
- 1 cup Green peas optional
- 1 cup Olives green or black
- ¼ cup Basil leaves chopped
Instructions
- Boil pasta in a pot of salted water until al dente, while you make the sauce. (usually about 11 minutes) – and set aside.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the oil and saute the onion and garlic for a minute. Add the bay leaves – saute for another 30 seconds.
- Next, add the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Add the stock – stirring constantly.Pro tip - keep the heat to medium-low. We want the flour to cook but not get darker in color.
- Then, add the chopped chicken. Cook on medium for 5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink (if necessary add more water or stock).Pro tip - we add the chicken now so we can keep the chicken white without any color.
- Then, add the green peas and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.Pro tip - if using carton stock or bullion then take note that these are high in sodium. So, use less salt when seasoning.
- When the chicken is cooked, add the Parmesan and Greyre cheese. Followed by the freshly grated nutmeg.
- Finally, add the boiled pasta. Give it a good mix to ensure everything is well coated. Pro tip - if necessary add ¼ cup for the reserved pasta water but do not add too much as we do not want any excess sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve topped with more grated parmesan and chopped basil or parsley.
Recipe Notes
- Chicken breast is best for this recipe as it cooks faster than chicken thighs.
- Cooking the pasta separately will make a nicer finished dish with just the right amount of sauce and starch.
- You can omit the green peas and use spinach or similar greens. These take the same time of about 3 minutes to cook.
Perfect boiled pasta
- Use a large pot of water when boiling pasta to prevent a mess on the stovetop.
- Use 4 times the amount of water for your pasta - For example, to boil one cup of pasta use at least 4 cups of water.
- Always bring the water to a boil before adding pasta or the pasta will be sticky.
- Salt the water generously more than you think you need as this is the only time you will be able to season the pasta on its own.
- Never add oil to the pasta when cooking. This will create a non-stick surface on the pasta that prevents the sauce from sticking.
- Pick the right pasta for the right sauce. For example, long pasta such as spaghetti for oil and tomato-based sauces, or penna and large shapes for cream and meat-based sauces.
- The pasta cooking time on the package is a suggestion - always taste pasta to know if it's done. Most dry pasta takes about 10 to 12 minutes while fresh pasta often takes less than 2 minutes.
- Pasta must be cooked "al dente", which means it must be tender yet have a bite.
- If you plan to cook pasta long before serving, it's a good idea to keep it a minute underdone as it will continue to cook with the residue heat in the sauce.
- Never drain the pasta into a colander and never rinse the pasta. Instead, remove the pasta from the pot (preferably directly into the sauce).
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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