For creamy chicken pasta, cook the pasta and chicken separately, then combine them in a gently heated sauce. This base recipe makes four portions, with mushroom and lemon-pea variations that change the flavour without complicating the method.
Base ingredients
- 300 g dry short pasta
- 500 g chicken breast, cut into even 2 cm pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 chopped garlic cloves
- 200 ml cooking cream
- 30 g finely grated hard cheese
- 150 ml reserved pasta water, added as needed
- Black pepper; salt to taste
Use a pasta pot and a wide frying pan. Allow approximately 30 minutes.
Cook the base
- Boil the pasta according to its packet. Reserve the water before draining.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in a single layer, turning regularly. Check the safe temperature below; work in batches if necessary.
- Remove the cooked chicken to a clean plate. Lower the heat and stir the garlic in the pan for 30 seconds.
- Add cream and a splash of pasta water. Warm gently, then stir in pasta and chicken.
- Remove from direct heat before stirring in cheese. Add water a spoonful at a time until the sauce coats the pasta. Season after tasting.
Two variations
Mushroom: fry 250 g sliced mushrooms in the pan after removing the chicken, until their released liquid evaporates. Add the garlic and continue with the sauce.
Lemon and peas: add 150 g frozen peas to the pasta for the packet’s required cooking time. Finish the sauce with the grated zest of half a washed lemon. Add lemon juice sparingly off the heat to reduce the risk of splitting.
If avoiding dairy, use an unsweetened cooking alternative and omit cheese. The result and thickness will differ; adjust with pasta water rather than boiling aggressively.
Safety: chicken must reach 74°C/165°F internally. Keep raw poultry separate; wash hands and utensils after handling it.
