A delicious pasta dinner made with grilled, herby chicken cooked in a creamy, cheesy sauce. Topped with parmesan and fresh herbs, this hearty pasta dish will keep you going for a while!
Chicken and pasta - what a combo! Two versatile ingredients that work well in so many recipes. I have at least 5 on my website!
The beauty is, you can can go in so many directions with them. My Cheesy Chicken Pasta is unlike anything else. With a grilled, herby chicken breast and a sauce made with diced veggies, this complete meal ticks all the boxes.
For another exception chicken pasta, be sure to check out my One Pot Cheesy Macaroni, Chicken and Peas. Another family-friendly meal.
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Ingredient notes:
- Chicken breast: This cut of chicken works well in this recipe. Make sure you allow the chicken sufficient time to rest. Don't forget to add any resting juices to the pan with the shredded chicken.
- Pasta: I really like spiral pasta for this recipe. But as always, feel free to use what you have in the cupboard.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: You might have noticed I use a lot of sun-dried tomatoes in my recipes. That's because they are a powerhouse of flavour! They are definitely a staple item in my kitchen.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Slice the chicken breast horizontally into pieces that are 1cm thick. Coat in olive oil and mixed herbs then season well with salt and pepper.
Heat a frying pan to a high heat and grill chicken strips for 4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente according to packet instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water then drain and set aside.
Add the frying pan back to the stove on a low heat. Melt the butter with a dash of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, sauté the onion and carrot for a few minutes until softened.
Mix in the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, add the flour and stir through to cook for 1 minute. Pour in the milk, stirring as it thickens.
Shred the cooked chicken with forks. Add the chicken and grated cheese to the pan and mix to combine with the sauce.
Add some of the reserved pasta water to the sauce to thin out the sauce if it seems too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked pasta and mix to combine. Serve topped with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs.
Recipe FAQs:
One with lots of flavour! Personally I like Tasty cheese but you can always use your family favourite cheese like Colby, Edam etc.
Al dente is an Italian phrase used in relation to cooking pasta. It literally means 'to the tooth' which means the pasta should have a slight bite to it. The perfect pasta is cooked to the point where it is neither hard, nor soft and squishy but with a small amount of resistance at the centre - aka al dente!
Fresh pasta and dried pasta are made from different ingredients and serve different purposes. The main difference is that fresh pasta has egg in it, that's why it needs to be refrigerated. Fresh pasta goes well with creamy sauces that have a butter, milk or cream base to them. Dried pasta is best for heavy sauces with more ingredients. Unlike dried pasta, which should be cooked al dente, fresh pasta is ready when it's tender and velvety to the touch.
Storage:
Store any Cheesy Chicken Pasta leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot.
Top tips:
If you have leftover roast chicken in the fridge, you could absolutely use it up in this recipe. I would still add the dried herbs to the pan and season everything really well.
Related Recipes:
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Cheesy Chicken Pasta
An easy pasta meal made with herby chicken cooked in a creamy cheesy sauce packed full with vegetables
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp dried mixed herbs
- 500g spiral pasta
- 40g butter
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 100g sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk
- 100g cheese, grated
- 1 cup of pasta water
- 20g parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breast horizontally into pieces that are 1cm thick. Coat in olive oil and mixed herbs then season well with salt and pepper.
- Heat a frying pan to a high heat and grill chicken strips for 4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente according to packet instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water then drain and set aside.
- Add the frying pan back to the stove on a low heat. Melt the butter with a dash of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, sauté the onion and carrot for a few minutes until softened.
- Mix in the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, add the flour and stir through to cook for 1 minute. Pour in the milk, stirring as it thickens.
- Shred the cooked chicken with forks. Add the chicken and grated cheese to the pan and mix to combine with the sauce.
- Add some of the reserved pasta water to the sauce to thin out the sauce if it seems too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta and mix to combine. Serve topped with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs.
Notes
- Use your favourite type of pasta.
- If you have some leftover roast chicken, you can use that instead.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 576Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 339mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 42g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Rachell Webb
This is such a yummy easy dish! Kids absolutely devoured it. Thank you
VJ cooks
Awesome. Thanks for the feedback!
Lauren
Yum!! Family thought it was delicious, the sundried tomato gives it a lovely flavour.
VJ cooks
Thanks for the feedback, Lauren.
Anna
Can this be frozen too?
Vanya Insull
Hi Anna! Yes this can be frozen. Slightly undercook the pasta so it is al dente, because it will cook more once reheated. Once cooled, pop it in an airtight container and in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat it until piping hot.
Michelle
Great recipe. My husband and 5 year old absolutely loved it.