Cheesy Chicken Pasta

These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.

Pasta: This creamy cheesy pasta works well with a chunky shape like penne, zitti, rigatoni, or cavatappi.
Chicken breasts: The recipe uses two chicken breasts cut in half to make four breast fillets. Alternatively, buying chicken fillets or escalops from the grocery store means you can skip the cutting step. (Check out the instructions below on how to cut your chicken breasts into fillets.)
Flour: Regular all-purpose or plain flour. 
Dry white wine: I use sauvignon blanc or a pinot grigio for cooking. Both work well. Pick a wine you want to drink. Avoid anything sweet or too oaked. If you don't consume alcohol, you can replace it with a low-salt chicken/veg broth.
Garlic: The recipe suggests 4 cloves of garlic, but as always, measure garlic with your heart and add more or less.
Onion: You can use a brown, yellow, or white onion.
Chicken broth/stock: Use a low-sodium variety to control the salt. You can substitute with vegetable broth/stock.
Half and half/single cream: Because we use flour to thicken the sauce, you can use a thinner cream. You can even substitute whole milk.
Cheese: Pick a good melting cheese with a more robust flavor. I like to use a cheddar. But you could use Colby, Swiss, Monterey Jack, or Emmental. Buy a block of cheese and grate/shred it yourself. It is cheaper and will melt better and leave you with a smooth sauce. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it and will leave you with a grainy sauce.
Parmesan: This adds extra cheese flavor and salt to the sauce. Buy fresh parmesan and grate it yourself. Like the cheese above, freshly grated parmesan will melt better and give you a smooth sauce.

Place the chicken breasts onto a chopping board and pat them dry to prevent slipping. 

Then, hold a sharp knife parallel to the chopping board to cut the chicken breasts in half through the middle. 

Once you have done that, cover the chicken fillets with some plastic wrap or parchment paper and flatten them to an even thickness using a smooth meat mallet or the base of a heavy-based skillet.

We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!

• Remember to keep the flour used for dredging the chicken, as some is used to thicken the sauce. However, discard any remaining flour once you're done cooking, as it has been in contact with raw chicken and can't be reused.
• Be careful not to overcook the chicken fillets! They only need 3-4 minutes on each side. Aim for 3 minutes, as they will continue cooking when added to the pasta. 
• After cooking, place the chicken breasts on a warm plate and cover with foil. This will keep them warm and help to tenderize the meat. 
• Don't worry if it looks lumpy like sand when you add the flour to the skillet. Slowly add the chicken broth while stirring continuously to avoid a lumpy sauce.
• Once you return the chicken to the pasta pan, add any juices collected on the plate. 
• Remember to generously salt the water before adding the pasta - the recipe recommends 1 tablespoon of salt. 
• Cook the pasta for a minute less than the packet suggests so it can finish cooking in the sauce.
• To achieve the perfect sauce consistency and allow it to coat the pasta, reserve 1½ cups of the pasta cooking water. Use around ½ cup of the reserved water to adjust the sauce, but keep extra aside in case the sauce thickens too much.

These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.

• Leftover chicken works well in this dish. Add it to the sauce as you add the pasta to heat through. 
• If you're looking for alternative protein options, consider using sliced pork loin chops or cubes of salmon. 
• To add some greens, toss in some baby spinach or kale at the end of the cooking, or steam some asparagus spears, green beans, or carrots, and add those when you add the pasta to the sauce. 
• For extra flavor, fry some mushrooms in butter and add them to the creamy sauce when adding the pasta. 
• For a crispy, salty, smoky hit, crumbled cooked bacon can be added to the top of the pasta. 
• If you want to add a crunchy topping, try making pangrattato. It's an Italian crispy topping made with toasted breadcrumbs and seasoning. Check out our pangrattato recipe post for more details.

Sides: Serve this Cheesy Chicken Pasta with a simple salad and some bread to mop up the cheesy sauce. A green salad, fennel and orange salad, or a rocket and parmesan salad are all perfect. Alternatively, I love it with a side of steamed asparagus or some roasted broccoli. 

Wine Pairing: Choose a buttery, lightly oaked Chardonnay or a Viognier if you prefer white wine. These wines perfectly complement the velvety-cheesy sauce. Pinot Noir, Chianti, or Italian Teroldego are all great choices for red wine drinkers. These wines can balance the cheese and garlic without overpowering the chicken and herbs.