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Close up of pan of cheesy chicken pasta
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4.68 from 34 votes

One Pot Chicken Pasta Recipe

Whip up this cheesy one pot chicken pasta in just 30 mins! Perfect fuss‑free family dinner, loaded with chicken, vibrant veggies, and melty cheese, all in one pan!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American-Italian, Italian
Keyword: Any Time Of the year, autumn, Fall, Quick and easy pasta bake, winter
Servings: 4 people
Author Nicky Corbishley

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

Instructions

  • 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
    Diced onions being sautéed in a black frying pan.
  • 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
    A person stirs diced chicken and chopped onions in a frying pan on a hob.
  • 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
    A frying pan on a hob contains chopped onions, diced chicken, red pepper, and uncooked pasta with a spoon resting inside.
  • 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
    A person pours stock from a glass jar into a pan filled with pasta, chicken and vegetables.
  • Cover with a lid or some foil and simmer for 12-15 minutes (checking occasionally) until the pasta is cooked.
    A close-up of a one pan chicken pasta covered with aluminium foil.
  • 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
    A close-up of a frying pan with pasta in tomato sauce, chopped onions, and fresh green sugarsnap peas on top, cooking on a hob.
  • 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
    A frying pan on a hob contains pasta with tomato sauce, pieces of chicken, green vegetables, and a topping of grated cheese.
  • Top with chopped parsley and serve.
    1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
    A close-up of a frying pan containing pasta with tomato sauce, melted cheese, chicken pieces, green vegetables, and fresh herbs sprinkled on top.

Video

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 665mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g

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