When I want a filling dinner without a sink full of dishes, I make this One Pot Chicken Pasta. The chicken, vegetables, pasta, tomatoes, and sauce all cook together in one large skillet, so the flavors build as the dish simmers. The finished pasta has a rich tomato base, tender chicken, melted cheddar, and sugar snap peas that keep a little bite.
This recipe makes about 4 servings. I use spiralli because its twists hold onto the tomato sauce, but another dried pasta with a similar shape works well too. Keep an eye on the skillet while the pasta cooks, since different shapes and brands can absorb liquid at slightly different rates.
Why this recipe works
The onion starts the dish with a savory base, while the tomato puree adds depth before the liquid goes in. Chopped tomatoes bring brightness, and a little Worcestershire sauce gives the sauce a rounded, savory taste without making the dish taste strongly of Worcestershire.
Milk softens the acidity of the tomatoes and gives the sauce a smoother texture. The cheddar melts over the top at the end, adding a sharp, creamy finish. I add the sugar snap peas after the pasta cooks because they only need a short time to heat through. If they simmer for too long, they lose the crisp texture that makes them stand out.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (or olive oil)
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 2 large skinless chicken breast cut into bite size chunks
- pinch salt and black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp tomato puree/paste in the US
- 1 red bell pepper de-seeded and chopped
- 300 g (4 1/2 cups) dried pasta such as spiralli
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) tins chopped tomatoes
- 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) chicken stock (chicken broth) made from hot water from the kettle + 2 stock cubes
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) milk half-fat or full-fat
- 20 sugar snap peas/snow peas roughly chopped
- 100 g (1 packed cup) grated (shredded) mature/sharp cheddar cheese grated/shredded
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Use a large frying pan or skillet with a lid. The pan needs enough room for the dried pasta to sit in the liquid without spilling over as you stir. If you do not have a lid, foil works as a cover.
How to make it
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion starts to turn translucent. This short first step softens the onion without letting it brown too much before the other ingredients go in.
Add the chicken, salt, and black pepper. Cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is sealed on the outside. The chicken will not be cooked in the middle at this point, and that is fine. It will finish cooking later as it simmers with the pasta and sauce.
Stir in the garlic, tomato puree, and red bell pepper. Cook the mixture briefly while stirring, then add the dried pasta. Coating the pasta with the onion, garlic, and tomato mixture helps spread the flavor through the dish from the start.
Add the dried oregano, Worcestershire sauce, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, and milk. Stir well, scraping across the base of the pan so nothing sticks. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.
Cover the skillet with a lid or foil. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, checking occasionally and stirring carefully so the pasta cooks evenly. The liquid should bubble gently rather than boil hard. A rapid boil can cause the liquid to disappear before the pasta becomes tender.
Start checking the pasta toward the shorter end of the cooking range. It should be tender when you bite into it, with no hard center, while the sauce should still look loose enough to coat the pasta. If the pasta needs a little more time but the skillet looks dry, add a small splash of hot water or stock and continue cooking gently.
When the pasta is cooked, stir in the roughly chopped sugar snap peas or snow peas. They only need enough time to become hot while retaining their crunch. Taste the sauce and add a little more salt or black pepper if needed.
Sprinkle the shredded mature or sharp cheddar cheese over the pasta. Place the skillet under the grill or broiler for a couple of minutes, watching closely, until the cheese has melted. If your skillet does not suit the broiler, transfer the pasta to a broiler-safe dish first.
Top with the chopped fresh parsley and serve while the pasta is hot.
Cooking tips
Cut the chicken into pieces that are close in size. Small pieces cook more evenly and make it easier to get chicken in every serving. Avoid cutting the pieces too large, since the pasta may finish before the chicken cooks through.
Stir the pan every few minutes while the pasta simmers. This keeps the pasta from settling on the bottom and helps it cook in the tomato liquid. Use a gentle hand once the pasta softens so the pieces do not break apart.
The sauce thickens as it stands. I like to serve the pasta soon after adding the cheese, when the sauce still has a soft, spoonable consistency. If it sits for several minutes, the pasta absorbs more of the liquid.
Swaps and additions
You can replace the chicken with turkey or ham. Cooked bacon and chorizo also work well as additions if you want a stronger smoky flavor.
For leftover cooked chicken, add it at the same time as the garlic and peppers in step two. Since the chicken has already cooked, it only needs to heat through while the pasta simmers.
Green beans and chunks of courgette (zucchini) make useful vegetable additions. Add them at the same time as the red pepper so they have enough time to soften. You can also use a different short dried pasta, but check it often because the cooking time and liquid absorption may change.
Making it ahead
I prefer to eat this right away because the sauce tastes best when freshly made. You can still prepare it ahead when needed. Make the dish, but do not grill the cheese. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, then cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to a day.
Reheat it in the oven, covered with foil, at 190C/375F for about 20-25 minutes, until hot throughout. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes if you want the cheese to brown. The pasta will absorb more liquid as it rests, so the dish will be a little less saucy. Add an extra few tablespoons of stock or hot water when reheating if needed.
Leftovers and freezing
Cool leftover pasta, cover it, and refrigerate for up to a day. Add a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce, then sprinkle on a little more cheese. Reheat it in the oven, covered, at 190C/375F for about 20-25 minutes, until hot throughout. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to brown the cheese.
You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave. Use a microwave-safe cover, not foil, and heat on a high setting, stirring once or twice. Continue until the pasta is piping hot throughout, checking for cold spots. This normally takes around 3-4 minutes per portion, but the exact time depends on your microwave.
To freeze the pasta, cool it fully, cover it, and freeze. Defrost it in the refrigerator, then reheat it in the oven at 190C/375F, covered with foil, for about 20-25 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of stock or hot water before reheating so the sauce loosens as the pasta warms.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different kind of cheese?
Yes. Mature or sharp cheddar gives the dish its strongest flavor, but a milder cheddar can also work. Use a cheese that melts well.
Why did my pasta absorb all the sauce?
The pasta continues absorbing liquid as it cooks and rests. Add a few tablespoons of hot water or chicken stock and stir gently until the sauce loosens.
Can I leave out the sugar snap peas?
Yes. The pasta will still work without them. You can replace them with green beans or courgette (zucchini), adding either with the red bell pepper.
Can I cook the chicken all the way before adding the pasta?
You can, but the chicken may become firm by the time the pasta finishes. Sealing it first and letting it cook through in the sauce keeps the pieces tender.
One Pot Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan/skillet and add in the onions. Cook for 3 minutes on a medium-high heat until they start to turn translucent.
- 1 tbsp neutral oil,1 large onion
- Add in the chicken, salt, and pepper. Cook for a further 3 minutes until the chicken is sealed (it won’t be cooked in the middle at this point).
- 2 large skinless chicken breast,pinch salt and black pepper
- Add in the garlic, tomato puree, and red peppers. Stir, then add in the pasta.
- 2 cloves garlic,1 tbsp tomato puree/paste in the US,1 red bell pepper,300 g (4 1/2 cups) dried pasta
- Now add in the oregano, Worcestershire sauce, tins of tomatoes, stock, and milk. Stir and bring to the boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer.
- 1 tsp dried oregano,½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce,2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) tins chopped tomatoes,300 ml (1 1/4 cups) chicken stock (chicken broth),120 ml (1/2 cup) milk
- Cover with a lid or some foil and simmer for 12-15 minutes (checking occasionally) until the pasta is cooked.
- Stir in the chopped sugar snap peas (it’s nice to add them at the end, so they’re hot, but retain their crunch),
- 20 sugar snap peas/snow peas
- Then, sprinkle the pasta with cheese and put it under the grill/broiler for a couple of minutes until the cheese has melted.
- 100 g (1 packed cup) grated (shredded) mature/sharp cheddar cheese
- Top with chopped parsley and serve.
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Notes
Can I make it ahead?
I prefer to eat this right away as I think it tastes better when freshly made, rather than after re-heating. However, you can make it ahead if you wish, and it will still be tasty.Make the dish, but don’t grill the cheese (just sprinkle it on), then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. It’s better to reheat in the oven (covered in foil) – as this will help the heat to disperse better, without the pasta being broken – as it would if it was being stirred in a pan. Heat in the oven at 190C/375F for about 20-25 minutes, until hot throughout. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes if you want to brown the cheese. Note: the dish will be a little less saucy if you make it ahead, as the pasta will absorb more of the liquid. You can add an extra few tablespoons of stock or hot water when reheating the pasta to ensure it’s still saucy.Leftovers:
Leftovers can be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to a day. I like to add a splash of water or stock to loosen up the pasta, then sprinkle on a little more cheese before reheating in the oven (covered) at 190C/375F for about 20-25 minutes until hot throughout. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to brown the cheese. You can also reheat in the microwave if you prefer. Heat on a high setting (cover with a microwave-safe cover, not foil), stirring once or twice during reheating, until piping hot throughout. Be sure to check there are no cold spots. This normally takes around 3-4 minutes per portion, but it will depend on your microwave.Will it freeze?
Yes, cool, cover and freeze. Then defrost in the refrigerator. As per the re-heat instructions above – reheat in the oven (covered in foil) at 190C/375F for about 20-25 minutes until hot throughout. Again, add an extra few tablespoons of stock or hot water when reheating the pasta to ensure it’s still saucy.Swaps or additions:
You can replace the chicken with turkey or ham, and add extras such as cooked bacon and chorizo to this dish.If you want to make the dish with leftover cooked chicken instead of raw, just add in at the same time as the garlic and peppers in step two. If you want to add more veggies, green beans and chunks of courgette (zucchini) work great. Add them in at the same times as the peppers. Nutrition info is estimated per one serving. NutritionCalories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 665mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g
