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Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Cheesy Chicken Pasta: The Best Comfort Food You'll Crave

Cheesy Chicken Pasta is a comforting dish loaded with chicken, cheese, and pasta, perfect for a satisfying meal.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 690 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Large pan

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces penne pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups half and half, single cream
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 0.33 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Extra salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and melt the butter in it. Add the chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes or until golden all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
  • In the same pan, add the garlic and cook for one minute on medium heat. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
  • Stir in the flour and whisk continuously until creamy. Next, pour in the half and half and whisk well so there are no lumps. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened slightly.
  • Add the Italian seasoning, red chili flakes and ground black pepper and stir well to combine.
  • Stir in the cheddar cheese and whisk well until you have a creamy, thick sauce.
  • Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss well to coat in the sauce. Add some of the reserved pasta water if needed to make the sauce silkier.
  • Return the cooked chicken to the pan and toss well to combine. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, then adjust the seasoning to taste and serve immediately.

Notes

Whisk the flour into the stock until fully smooth before adding cream to avoid any lumps. You can make this recipe with leftover cooked chicken; simply skip step 2.

Nutrition

Serving: 1plateCalories: 690kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 48gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 609mgPotassium: 814mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 615IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 351mgIron: 2mg
Keyword cheese dish, Cheesy Chicken Pasta, Chicken Recipe, comfort food, pasta recipe
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