Chicken and Pasta Recipes

Chicken and pasta is a classic meal combination. Because of its mild flavor, chicken holds up well in a number of exciting pasta dishes.
White Chicken Lasagna
This chicken version of lasagna is creamy and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 box no boil lasagna noodles
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 2 10-ounce packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
- Add onion and cook until soft, about four minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add flour and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for two minutes.
- Whisk in milk and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken, about one minute.
- Stir in one cup of mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, and oregano.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
- Spread 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
- Layer three lasagna noodles on top of the sauce.
- Mix cottage cheese and spinach in a small bowl.
- Spread half the spinach mixture atop the noodles.
- Spread half the chicken on top of the spinach mixture.
- Sprinkle with 1/3 of the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Top with the second third of the sauce.
- Repeat steps 10 through 14, except for step 11, as the spinach and cheese are now mixed.
- Layer three more noodles on top of the cheese and pour the remaining sauce over the noodles.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Place the lasagna in the preheated oven and bake until for 55 minutes, until cheese is bubbly, noodles are soft, and casserole is hot.
- Allow to rest for 30 minutes before serving.
Angel Hair Pasta With Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is a nice, light, acidic dish that combines perfectly with delicate angel hair pasta. Enjoy with a glass of Pinot Grigio.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded into thin pieces and cut into one-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- Juice of four lemons
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 8 ounces cooked angel hair pasta
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, pepper, and paprika.
- Dredge chicken breasts in flour mixture, tapping to remove excess.
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Remove the garlic from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add two tablespoons of butter to the sauté pan and heat until it bubbles.
- Cook chicken in the butter until it browns slightly and is cooked through, about five minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a clean platter.
- Add the wine to the pan, scraping any cooked on bits of chicken from the bottom of the pan with the side of the spoon.
- Simmer until wine reduces to about a half cup.
- Stir in chicken broth, garlic, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer over medium-high heat for about five minutes until it slightly thickens.
- Whisk in remaining two tablespoons of butter and parsley.
- Toss sauce and reserved chicken with hot pasta and serve immediately.
Spaghetti With Chicken Carbonara
Spaghetti carbonara is a classic Italian bacon and eggs pasta dish. The addition of chicken makes it slightly heartier.
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick cut bacon, cut into pieces
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup white wine, like Chardonnay
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 package spaghetti, cooked according to package directions and drained
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan, cook bacon over medium high heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy.
- Remove bacon from the fat with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Cook chicken breasts in bacon fat until juices run clear, about five minutes per side.
- Remove chicken from fat and set aside on a clean plate, tented with foil.
- Remove all but one tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan.
- Cook garlic in bacon fat until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in white wine, using the side of the spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bacon and chicken on the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer until thickened, about two minutes, and then remove from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and Parmesan cheese.
- Slowly in a very thin stream, pour wine mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Slice chicken into bite size pieces.
- Toss chicken, sauce, and hot spaghetti. Serve topped with additional cheese if you wish.
Delicious Meals
With your chicken and pasta dishes, all you need is a simple green salad or some fruit to make a delicious meal. Since most of these recipes come together fairly quickly, they make a great weeknight family dinner.