Last Bite Chicken Pasta (Print View)

Savory chicken pasta blended with fresh veggies and creamy cheese for a quick satisfying dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 large chicken breast, diced (or 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded)

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz dried penne, fusilli, or similar pasta

→ Vegetables

03 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 cup frozen peas
05 - 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 cup zucchini, sliced
07 - 1/2 cup spinach, roughly chopped

→ Pantry Staples

08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
11 - 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce

→ Dairy

12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 1/3 cup heavy cream

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh basil leaves
16 - Cracked black pepper

→ Finish

17 - Zest of 1 lemon

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and diced bell pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Then add cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and dried Italian herbs, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Stir in canned diced tomatoes, frozen peas, and chopped spinach. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Return cooked chicken to the skillet, then add heavy cream along with half of the Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Stir until cheeses melt and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to combine. Add reserved pasta water gradually if needed to loosen the sauce to desired consistency.
07 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Plate and garnish with remaining cheese, fresh basil leaves, cracked black pepper, and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It rescues your fridge from that guilty mid-week purge and turns scraps into something you'd actually want seconds of.
  • You can swap nearly every ingredient and it still works, which means no panic trips to the store at 7 p.m.
  • The creamy, cheesy sauce clings to every pasta spiral and makes even frozen peas taste like they belong there.
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, so you can go from hangry to happy before the evening falls apart.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water, it's the only thing that will bring a broken sauce back to life without making it greasy.
  • Add the cream on low heat or it might split and turn grainy, patience here makes all the difference.
  • If your vegetables release too much water, let it cook off before adding the cream or your sauce will be thin and sad.
03 -
  • Grate your own cheese, the pre-shredded kind has anti-caking agents that make the sauce gritty instead of smooth.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, if it's well-salted, your dish is halfway to perfect already.
  • Let the finished pasta rest in the pan for a minute before serving, the sauce tightens up just enough to cling without being soupy.
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