Spread the love

this cheesy chicken pasta is the stuff of comfort food dreams, combining tender, juicy chunks of chicken and al dente pasta with a lusciously creamy tomato sauce.

indulge in a bowl of pure comfort with this cheesy chicken pasta. perfectly cooked pasta shells and tender chicken pieces are tossed in a velvety tomato cream sauce and melty cheese. Great for a nice meal on a weeknight or a lazy lunch. make sure to serve this pasta hot, garnished with a sprinkle of parsley for a pop of colour.

Why you will love this cheesy chicken pasta recipe:

easy to make: this cheesy chicken pasta uses simple ingredients that are readily available and is easy to whip up in no time. great for busy nights or when you just want a warm meal without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.
customisable – you can easily customise this cheesy chicken pasta to suit your preferences. switch up the pasta shape, add a blend of different cheeses or skip the chicken or swap it for vegetables for a vegetarian-friendly meal.
easy to store and reheat leftovers – while this cheesy chicken pasta was gone from my table in minutes, in the event of leftovers, you can easily store them in the fridge and reheat for lunch or dinner the next day. simply, reheat on the stove over low-medium heat and add a splash of milk or cream to keep the sauce rich and creamy.
indulgent but balanced – while this pasta is cheesy and creamy, and one of my favourite comfort foods, the tang from the tomato sauce adds a freshness that keeps the pasta from feeling too heavy. you could even add some extra veggies or pair this with a side salad to make it a balanced meal.

How to make this cheesy chicken pasta:

Ingredients for cheesy chicken pasta:

pasta shells – you can use any other shape of pasta that you prefer. boil with salt, water and a bit of oil in the pot.
oil – we’ll adding oil to the pan first to cook our garlic in. i usually use a neutral tasting oil but if you can also use olive oil in this recipe if you like.
garlic – i’m using fresh garlic that’s been finely minced for this recipe.
chicken – i like to use boneless chicken breast, cut into small pieces.
seasonings – i use a mix of garlic powder, red chilli powder, black pepper, salt, onion powder, paprika and oregano in this cheesy chicken pasta.
tomato paste – adds colour and a nice, bold flavour to the sauce.
sriracha – optional but adds a nice hint of spice.
milk- this will be the base of our tomato cream sauce, so that it has a bit of lightness to it.
double cream/heavy cream – any kind of thick cream will work here. I like to use both cream and milk in the sauce so that it isn’t too rich and heavy.
cheese – i used mozzarella but you can use your choice of cheese or even a blend of cheeses in the sauce. For more cheesiness, add a last sprinkle of it on top.
pasta water – save at least 1 cup of pasta water when draining your pasta. we’ll use this in our sauce to bulk it up and add some extra flavour.

this cheesy chicken pasta is the ultimate comfort meal, featuring tender chicken and perfectly cooked pasta shells in a velvety tomato cream sauce. Add more cheese on top, then curl up with a bowl of this pasta and let your worries go away.

prep time: 15 mins
cook time: 20 mins
total time: 35 mins

◯ 250g pasta, uncooked (around 8oz)
◯ 2 tbsps oil
◯ 4 cloves garlic, minced
◯ 275g of chicken cut into pieces that are easy to eat (about 9.6 oz).
◯ 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to your taste)
◯ 1/2 tsp black pepper
◯ 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
◯ 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
◯ 1 tsp paprika
◯ 1/2 tsp onion powder
◯ 1/4 tsp oregano
◯ 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
◯ 1 tsp chilli sauce/sriracha
◯ 130ml milk (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp)
◯ 110ml of double cream (1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons)
◯ 100 grams of mozzarella cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top (1 cup plus more)
◯ 100 to 120 ml of pasta water (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions

boil pasta: add pasta to a pot with some cold water, salt and a little bit of oil. cook pasta until al dente – it should be slightly firm and not overly cooked so that it doesn’t become too soft once cooked in the sauce. drain the pasta and set it aside. Make sure to keep some of the water from the pasta to add to the sauce.
To cook garlic, heat some oil in a pan and then add minced garlic. cook this over medium heat for around 1 minute or until the garlic becomes a light golden colour.
cook chicken: add the bite-sized pieces of chicken to the pan. cook these over medium-high heat, stirring as you cook, for around 3-4 minutes or until the chicken turns a white colour.

seasonings: add salt, black pepper, red chilli powder, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder and oregano and mix this into the chicken.
add tomato paste: add a little bit of sriracha and the tomato paste and cook this in over medium-high heat for about 1 minute.
making the sauce: gradually add milk and cream and stir this in. Stir the mixture constantly while it cooks over medium-high heat for about a minute, or until it starts to bubble.
add cheese: add your choice of cheese and gently mix it in until the cheese has melted and has fully incorporated into the sauce.
add pasta water: gradually add leftover pasta water and mix it into the sauce. then, bring the mixture to a boil and keep stirring as you bring it to a boil – this took me about 1.5 minutes.
add pasta: at this point your sauce should be quite thick and creamy. Put your cooked pasta in the sauce and cover it completely. add a final sprinkle of cheese to the top, then cover with a lid and let the pasta cook over low heat until the cheese is melted.
Serve it up, and let’s eat!

Tips and Notes

cook the pasta al dente – slightly undercook the pasta shells as they will continue to slightly cook and soften when you add them to the sauce at the end. this ensures the perfect texture and prevents the pasta from becoming overly soft and mushy.
you can easily round out this cheesy chicken pasta into a full meal by serving this with a side salad, some roasted/steamed vegetables or some garlic bread.
if you find that the sauce is too thick for your taste, just add an extra splash of the pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. If you believe the sauce is too thin, let it simmer for a minute or two to make it thicker.
Try out several kinds of cheese! i used a simple mozzarella since it’s something everyone generally has on hand, but you can anything you like or even add a blend of different cheeses.
If you want to make a vegetarian version of this cheesy chicken pasta, just leave out the chicken. you can leave it as is without the chicken, or you can even add your choice of vegetables to the pasta.
if you would prefer a thicker, richer sauce, you can replace the milk with cream instead.
store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. you can reheat the leftovers on the stove or on the microwave – just add a splash of cream to prevent the pasta from drying out.
save a cup of pasta water when you drain the cooked pasta. Putting some of this in the sauce will help it stick together and make it smoother and more cohesive.
If you want something with a softer texture, you can use chicken thighs instead of boneless chicken breasts. leftover shredded rotisserie chicken will also work great if you want to save some time and whip up something quickly.
this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed more people or if you want to have leftovers. just make sure to use a large enough pot to accommodate the increased volume.
if you don’t like the tangy, strong taste of tomato paste, you can add the tomato paste earlier on in the recipe and cook it for longer. Add the tomato paste and minced garlic to the oil and cook them together. This will help it caramelize and get rid of some of the sour taste.
make sure to adjust the salt to your taste. there will be salt from the pasta water as well as the cheese in the sauce, so you don’t want to add too much extra salt.
I added half a cup of the pasta water, but you can add more if you like. add enough until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
if you don’t have oregano, you can swap it for italian seasoning or any kind of mixed herbs.

Questions that people ask a lot

Can I add vegetables to this cheesy chicken pasta?: of course! you can add sautéed vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers or spinach to the sauce for some added texture and flavour.
Can I make this dish spicier?: If you want this cheesy chicken pasta to be a little hotter, you may add a pinch of red chili flakes or some cayenne pepper along with the other spices. for extra spice, add some diced fresh chillies when you’re cooking the garlic in the oil.
How can I make the sauce creamier?: You can leave out the milk and add all heavy cream to make the sauce creamier. For more creaminess, stir in some mascarpone or cream cheese.
Can I make this cheesy chicken pasta with chicken that I already have?: using leftover chicken is a great way to save time when you’re making this pasta. just shred or chop up the cooked chicken and add it to the sauce, allowing it to heat through before adding the cooked pasta.
Can I prepare this cheesy chicken spaghetti ahead of time for a party?: this dish is best served immediately, but there are some aspects of the pasta that you can prepare in advance to make it easier for you if you were to make it for a dinner or party. you can cook the pasta and chicken separately and store them in the fridge, then prepare the sauce separately and keep it in its own container. when ready to serve, simply reheat the sauce gently on the stove, then combine it with the cooked pasta and chicken until everything is heated through.
Can I make this cheesy chicken pasta dairy-free?: you can make a dairy-free version of this pasta with a few substitutions. swap heavy cream with a plant-based alternative like coconut cream or another dairy-free cream substitute. Instead of cheese, use a dairy-free cheese substitute that melts well, like vegan mozzarella or cheese made from cashews.
Can I make this cheesy chicken spaghetti twice without cream?: If you don’t want to use cream in this pasta recipe, you can leave it out and use milk instead. this will make a thinner sauce and won’t be as rich, but will still help add a creaminess to it.
Which type of oil should I use to make this cheesy chicken pasta?: You can use a few different kinds of oil for this recipe. i usually like to use a neutral oil like sunflower oil due to its high smoke point and the fact that it won’t overpower the other flavours in this dish. You can also use an oil that is popular in pasta recipes, like extra-virgin olive oil. It does have a taste that will go well with the other things in the dish. You can also cook the garlic and chicken in a mix of oil and butter. This will make the dish taste better and richer.