Pasta cooked to perfection, aromatic cheeses, and tender chicken come together in delicious ways in cheesy chicken and pasta recipes. People of all ages enjoy the hearty, filling dinner that this culinary combination gives. There is a cheesy chicken and pasta meal to suit every palate, whether you’re in the mood for a creamy Alfredo or a spicy, cheesy bite.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz penne pasta
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

Instructions:

  1. Penne pasta should be cooked as directed on the package until it is al dente. After draining, set away.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a big skillet over medium heat. When aromatic, add the minced garlic and sauté it.
  3. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the cubed chicken breasts before adding them to the skillet. Cook until well done and golden brown.
  4. Transfer the marinara sauce to the skillet and lower the heat to a low level. After a few minutes of simmering, stir to mix.
  5. When the pasta is cooked, add it to the skillet and toss to coat it evenly with sauce.
  6. After taking the skillet off of the burner, top it with grated Parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella.
  7. Once the cheese is melted and bubbling, cover the skillet and leave it there for a few minutes.
  8. Before serving, garnish with fresh basil leaves. Have fun!

Cheesy Chicken Bacon Broccoli Pasta

cheesy chicken and pasta

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/4 cup milk
  • 8 slices Bacon
  • 2 cups broccoli pieces
  • 1 can cheddar cheese soup
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 box bowtie pasta
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 lbs boneless chicken breast
  • to taste salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions

  1. Make the crispy crumble bacon and set it aside.
  2. Chop the chicken breast and cook it in the bacon grease. Add the onion powder and garlic.
  3. Take out the chicken and place it aside. Cook the broccoli for five minutes after adding it to the pan.
  4. Fill the pan with water. Return the chicken and broccoli to the pan.
  5. As directed on the package, prepare the bowtie pasta. The pasta should be drained before adding butter.
  6. Mix pasta and chicken mixture.
  7. Add milk to the soup made with cheddar cheese in a medium-sized saucepan. Put on a medium heat and stir until smooth. Stir together the shredded cheddar and parmesan cheeses.
  8. Toss the spaghetti mixture with the cheese mixture.
  9. Toss in half of the crumbled bacon.
  10. If desired, add salt and pepper.
  11. Place the remaining bacon on top, then savor!

Cheesy chicken and mushroom pasta bake recipe

Cheesy chicken

Ingredients

  • 300g penne
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 100g Cheddar, grated
  • 200g 50% less fat soft cheese
  • 250g button mushrooms, finely sliced
  • 300g chicken breast, cut into 1cm slices
  • 15g fresh basil, leaves picked, half finely chopped

Method

  1. Set the oven to 180°C for the fan and 200°C for gas 6. Pasta should be cooked for ten to twelve minutes, or until al dente, in a big pan of boiling salted water. Save 200ml of the cooking water after draining. Pasta should be transferred to a big baking dish (18 x 30 cm in our case).
  2. In a large nonstick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, turning occasionally, for 4–5 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden brown. Add the garlic, heat for one to two minutes, and then move it to a platter.
  3. After adding 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, sauté the chicken for 5 minutes, or until it is golden and cooked through.
  4. Put the mushrooms back in the pan. Add the chopped basil, leftover pasta water, and soft cheese and stir. Add plenty of pepper for seasoning, then transfer to the spaghetti dish and mix well.
  5. After scattering on the cheddar, place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese has begun to brown. To serve, scatter over the remaining basil leaves.

Cheesy Tomato Chicken Pasta

This recipe for a simple dinner is cheesy tomato chicken pasta. It includes an abundance of mozzarella and a crispy panko coated with fried basil. Imagine it as a stripped-down version of baked chicken parmigiana, minus the breading and frying.

cheesy chicken and pasta

This recipe for a simple dinner is cheesy tomato chicken pasta. It includes an abundance of mozzarella and a crispy panko coated with fried basil.

Prep Time:  15minutes minutes

Cook Time:  50minutes minutes

Total Time:  1hour hour 5minutes minutes

Servings:  4

Calories:  693kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • Parmesan rind, optional
  • Pinch of sugar, optional
  • 12 ounces spaghetti
  • ½ cup grated mozzarella
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 14.5- ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes
  • 2 shallots or 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste if you like

Fried basil panko:

  • 1 cup panko
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Turn the oven on to 375°F.
  2. In a big pot, warm up one tsp of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. After drying off the chicken, sprinkle salt and pepper on it all over. Skin-side down, put the chicken in the saucepan and cook it for five minutes, or until it’s golden brown all over. After flipping, cook for a further one to two minutes. It’s not necessary to fully cook them. Move to a platter.

Start the sauce:

  1. To the pot of rendered chicken fat, add the sun-dried tomatoes and diced shallots. Cook until the shallots become tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add the crushed red pepper and minced garlic. Simmer for one minute, stirring often, or until aromatic.
  3. After adding the balsamic vinegar, heat it until it boils.
  4. Once you’ve added the canned tomatoes, season everything with salt and pepper. After bringing to a boil, remove the heat. Mash the tomatoes slightly using a potato masher. Add a small teaspoon of sugar and the parmesan rind.

Bake the chicken and sauce:

  1. Place the chicken, skin-side up, on top of the sauce and bake for 20 minutes. If you’re using bone-in thighs, cook them for an additional 30 to 35 minutes. After the pot reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF, take it out of the oven and activate the broiler.

Cook the spaghetti:

  1. Meanwhile, fill a big saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Cook the spaghetti till al dente after adding salt. Set aside 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. Remove the pasta’s water.

Prepare the fried basil panko:

  1. In a small pot, warm up three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped basil leaves after it’s hot and whisk continually for a minute or until aromatic.
  2. Stir in the panko after adding it. Cook until the panko toasts and takes on more color. Switch off the heating source. Wait five to ten minutes.
  3. Mix the panko with the grated parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt. Put aside.

Finish the chicken:

  1. Take out and dispose of the parmesan rind from the sauce. Add some mozzarella to the top of every chicken piece. If desired, drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the mozzarella. After moving the pot to the oven’s grill rack, broil the cheese until it melts and becomes bubbly. After turning off the grill, take the saucepan out of the oven. After the chicken is done, move it to a serving plate and sprinkle some basil panko over it. If some of the panko gets into the sauce, that’s okay!

Sauce the pasta:

  1. To the sauce, add the cooked pasta. When necessary, add the pasta boiling water and toss to evenly distribute the sauce over the pasta. To suit your tastes, add or subtract seasonings as necessary.

To serve:

  1. Spoon the pasta into shallow bowls and top each with a thigh of chicken. Add extra crispy panko fried basil on top and sprinkle with fresh basil. Have fun!

Nutrition

Calories: 693kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 702mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin C: 18mg

FAQs

How long are leftovers of pasta and cheese sauce shelf-life?

Leftover cheesy chicken and pasta will usually be kept for three to four days in the refrigerator when kept in an airtight container. To stop bacteria from growing, make sure the leftovers are fully cold before putting them in the refrigerator. To guarantee food safety, make sure the dish is reheated until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Can I make these recipes with different kinds of cheese?

Of course! You can experiment with different varieties of cheese to suit your taste preferences when making these cheesy chicken and pasta recipes. Provolone, Gouda, feta, cheddar, and Swiss are a few common choices. To create a distinctive flavor profile, feel free to combine different types of cheeses or use your preferred mixture.

Are vegetarians able to eat cheese-filled chicken and pasta recipes?

Vegetarians should avoid traditional cheesy chicken and pasta recipes because they primarily use chicken as their protein source. But, by replacing the chicken in these dishes with plant-based substitutes like tofu, chickpeas, or mushrooms, you can easily modify them to suit vegetarian diets. Make sure the cheeses used are also suitable for vegetarians.

Can I prepare gluten-free cheesy pasta and chicken recipes?

Yes, you may use gluten-free pasta in place of regular wheat-based pasta to make recipes like cheesy chicken and spaghetti gluten-free. Stores have a wide range of gluten-free pasta options, such as rice, quinoa, chickpea, & corn-based pasta. To prevent cross-contamination, make sure that all additional ingredients—such as seasonings and sauces—are gluten-free by certification.

Which type of pasta works best for recipes that include cheese and chicken?

For cheesy chicken meals, the ideal pasta shape is mostly a question of taste. But some pasta shapes—penne, rigatoni, fettuccine, and rotini—are especially good with chicken and cheese sauces. The cheese sauce is trapped in the nooks and crevices of these forms, making every bite explode with flavor. In the end, pick a pasta shape that goes well with the other elements in the dish and that you like.

Conclusion

Cheesy chicken and pasta recipes provide a tasty, filling, and incredibly simple-to-make dinner choice. There is a cheesy chicken and pasta recipe to suit any taste, regardless of whether you like traditional flavors or want to try out some unusual variations. These recipes, with their wholesome ingredients and short cooking periods, are guaranteed to become mainstays in your meal plan.

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