Description
This Cheesy Chicken Pasta is a comforting, family-friendly main course featuring juicy, herbed chicken breast, tender spiral pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and a creamy, cheesy sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, the dish combines simple ingredients for maximum flavor and satisfaction.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Chicken
- 500g chicken breast
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp dried mixed herbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Pasta
- 500g spiral pasta
For the Sauce
- 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 (such as cheddar or tasty cheese)
- 1 cup pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta)
- 20g parmesan cheese, grated
Optional
- Fresh herbs, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breast horizontally into 1cm thick pieces. Coat with olive oil, dried mixed herbs, and season well with salt and pepper.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a frying pan to high heat and grill chicken strips for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden and fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
- Cook the Pasta: Meanwhile, cook the spiral pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, following the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Start the Sauce Base: Return the frying pan to the stove over low heat. Melt the butter along with a dash of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar. Sauté the onion and carrot for a few minutes until softened and aromatic.
- Build the Sauce: Mix in the crushed garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir through, cooking for about 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly to thicken and create a creamy sauce.
- Combine Chicken and Cheese: While the sauce thickens, shred the cooked chicken using two forks. Add the shredded chicken and grated cheese to the sauce, stirring to combine and allow the cheese to melt smoothly.
- Adjust Consistency: If the sauce seems too thick, pour in some of the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper if needed.
- Finish and Serve: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine everything evenly. Serve hot, topped with grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Use your favourite type of pasta for this recipe.
- Leftover roast chicken can be substituted for freshly cooked chicken for convenience.
- Add cooked vegetables or greens for extra nutrition and color.
- This recipe is easily doubled for larger gatherings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
