Oh, I know that feeling, friend. It’s 6 PM, you’re tired, and the thought of doing a billion dishes feels impossible. That’s exactly why I developed this ultimate One Pan Chicken Pasta! As a Registered Dietitian and Flavor Strategist, I’m always looking for ways to make balanced comfort food accessible, and this recipe is the gold standard for fast weeknight dinners. We load everything into one big skillet—chicken, veggies, pasta, sauce—and let it simmer away. You get rich flavor payoff without the sink full of pans later. Trust me, this is the fuss-free meal you’ve been dreaming about, keeping that focus on flavor and nourishment we always talk about at Top Chicken Eats.
Why This One Pan Chicken Pasta Is Your New Weeknight Staple
Seriously, this isn’t just another dinner; it’s a weeknight game-changer. We hit that perfect sweet spot where cozy comfort food meets incredibly simple execution. When you realize you only have one pan to wash, you suddenly find time to relax instead of scrub! This One Pan Chicken Pasta checks all the boxes for getting a balanced meal on the table fast.
Here’s why readers like you—especially those looking for easy lunch ideas later in the week—come back to this dish again and again:
- It’s incredibly quick—we’re talking less than 35 minutes total!
- Cleanup is practically nonexistent; you’re done when the food is done.
- It manages to be satisfyingly cheesy while still having protein and vegetables tucked in.
Maximum Flavor, Minimum Cleanup
The secret sauce here is letting everything simmer together. When the pasta absorbs that tomato, stock, and cheese mixture right there in the pan, it pulls so much flavor into every single bite. You’re not just boiling pasta in water; you are actually *braising* it in the sauce base. It feels fancy, but it’s really just smart cooking happening right on your stovetop.
Balancing Comfort and Nourishment in Your One Pan Chicken Pasta
As someone who lives and breathes balanced eating, I love that this recipe delivers substance without feeling heavy. You get fantastic protein from the chicken, and we sneak in that red bell pepper and those bright sugar snap peas. It proves that you never have to sacrifice flavor or that yummy, comfort-food feeling to eat well. That’s the balance I always aim for in my recipes, and this One Pan Chicken Pasta really nails it!
Gathering Ingredients for Your One Pan Chicken Pasta
You know the best part about this whole operation? Everything goes into one pan! That’s right—no separate bowls needed for cooking the chicken or boiling the pasta. This whole amazing One Pan Chicken Pasta comes together for 4 people in just 35 minutes total. It’s the dream, truly. Before we dive into the steps, let’s get our little army of ingredients lined up, ready for action. Check out the list below for everything you’ll need for this savory one pot meal masterpiece.
Main Ingredients for the One Pan Chicken Pasta
We start simple: 1 tablespoon of neutral oil or olive oil next to 1 large onion, peeled and chopped. Then comes 1 large skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks, seasoned with just a pinch of salt and black pepper. Next up is 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced, along with 1 tablespoon of tomato puree or paste (that’s the US measurement!). We toss in 1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and chopped, and 300 grams (or 4 1/2 cups) of dried pasta, like spiralli. For flavor depth, we add 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and 0.5 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. The liquid base is crucial: 2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes and 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) of chicken stock (made from hot water and 2 stock cubes), plus 120 ml (1/2 cup) of milk (half-fat or full-fat). Finally, for freshness and crunch towards the end, we need 20 sugar snap peas or snow peas, roughly chopped, 100 g (1 packed cup) of grated mature or sharp cheddar cheese, and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley for topping.
Expert Tips for Perfect One Pan Chicken Pasta Texture
If you want this One Pan Chicken Pasta to be truly amazing instead of just good, you have to pay attention to a couple of small details about the ingredients. I’ve spent time tweaking this so you don’t have to! Getting the physics of the one-pan method right means you get that creamy sauce without that gummy, sticky layer at the bottom that can happen when pasta cooks too fast. Speaking of quick weeknight meals, if you ever need a chicken fix that doesn’t require a skillet, you absolutely have to check out the amazing air fryer chicken recipes I’ve been obsessed with lately!
Choosing the Right Pasta and Liquid Ratio
When you’re cooking pasta directly in the sauce, the shape really matters. I always recommend pasta shapes like spiralli or penne because they have great ridges or pockets to catch the sauce. Thin spaghetti or angel hair noodles cook way too fast and can turn mushy before the chicken is done. Also, keep an eye on your liquid! If you use a pan that’s much wider than mine, the liquid evaporates faster, so you might need an extra splash of stock or water during that simmer time. It’s all about making sure there’s just enough moisture to hydrate the pasta without drowning everything else.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making One Pan Chicken Pasta
Now that we have all our ingredients ready to go, let’s get cooking! Making this One Pan Chicken Pasta is so straightforward, you’ll wonder why you ever made pasta the old, messy way. Remember, if you normally gravitate toward easy crockpot dinner recipes, this one-pan skillet version moves just as quickly but delivers that perfect creamy texture right on the stove. Follow these steps exactly, and dinner is served!
Searing Chicken and Building Flavor Base
First things first, you need a nice hot surface! Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in that big skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in your chopped onions and let those sizzle for about 3 minutes until they are soft and looking translucent—you’re building the base layer of flavor here. Next, add your bite-size chicken chunks along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook that chicken for another 3 minutes until all the outside pieces look sealed and slightly golden. Be patient; the sear is important!
Simmering and Cooking the Pasta in the One Pan Chicken Pasta
Time to layer things up! Stir in the minced garlic, that tablespoon of tomato puree, and the chopped red peppers. Now, dump in all 4 1/2 cups of your dried pasta. Give it a good stir so everything gets coated. Pour in the oregano, Worcestershire sauce, the two tins of tomatoes, the stock, and the milk. Bring that whole beautiful mess up until it starts boiling, then immediately drop the heat down low to a gentle simmer. This is key: cover the pan completely with a lid or foil and let it cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Check it once or twice to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom!
Finishing Touches and Melting the Cheese
Once the pasta is truly cooked through, take that cover off! Stir in the rough-chopped sugar snap peas. We only want them gently warmed, not mushy—they need to keep that crunch! Now, sprinkle that grated cheddar cheese all over the top of your One Pan Chicken Pasta. Pop the whole skillet carefully under the grill or broiler until that cheese is bubbly and melted, which usually takes just a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, and you are done! Dinner is officially ready to scoop right out of the pan.
Making One Pan Chicken Pasta Ahead and Storing Leftovers
One of the huge perks of this recipe is that it’s fantastic for meal prepping, which is so important when you’re trying to stick to balanced eating goals, even when life gets hectic! For leftovers, just let your One Pan Chicken Pasta cool down completely before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps beautifully for about three days.
Now, here’s my dietitian tip regarding reheating: pasta always soaks up extra liquid once it chills, so it might seem a little thicker the next day. Don’t panic! When you reheat it, just stir in an extra splash of milk or chicken stock—use about a tablespoon at a time—to bring back that perfect creamy consistency. This trick keeps your leftovers tasting almost as good as the fresh batch!
If you’re interested in other great make-ahead options, check out my tips on weight loss recipes that are perfect for batch cooking throughout the week!
Variations for Your One Pan Chicken Pasta
I love that this recipe is so adaptable! Once you master the basic timing for the One Pan Chicken Pasta, you can really start playing around. Don’t feel locked into just chicken breast; swapping it for bone-in chicken thighs adds way more deep, savory flavor—just remember they might need an extra 5 minutes of simmering time initially. If you want to lighten it up or try different textures, swap the cheddar for Gruyère for a nuttier profile. For those times you’re trying easy gluten-free recipes, feel free to use GF pasta, but be careful, GF pasta absorbs liquid much faster, so check it around the 10-minute mark!
Serving Suggestions for This Easy Chicken Pasta Dinner
We’ve got a fantastic, filling main course here, but part of eating well is making sure your plate looks vibrant and varied! Since this Easy Chicken Pasta Dinner is already packed with creamy sauce, protein, and some veggies, we want sides that are light and refreshing to cut through that richness. Think of it as balancing the plate’s texture.
For me, I always keep it super simple because cleanup was already minimal, right? I love serving this straight from the pan with just a big bowl of something green and crunchy on the side. If you’re looking for some easy additions, I’ve got a few go-to pairings that just sing next to that melted cheddar topping.
You really can’t beat a simple side salad. Make sure it’s got a tangy vinaigrette—maybe lemon and Dijon—to contrast the savory sauce. A little acidity really wakes up the palate. If you want something crusty to sop up any leftover sauce (and trust me, you will want to!), grab a fresh baguette. Slice it, toast it lightly, and maybe brush it with a tiny bit of garlic butter if you’re feeling ambitious!
And hey, if you’re looking for more light eats or small bites recipes that don’t require a full dinner commitment, those are fun to explore too! But for this pasta dinner, keep the sides light, fresh, and quick.
Frequently Asked Questions About One Pan Chicken Pasta
I always get the same questions when people try this recipe for the first time! It makes sense; adapting any recipe, especially a one-pan wonder like this One Pan Chicken Pasta, can cause a little hesitation. Here are the things folks ask me most often. If you’re planning a party, you might even think about serving this as one of your easy party snacks if you adjust the serving size!
Can I use a different type of chicken in this One Pan Chicken Pasta?
Absolutely! Chicken breasts are fast, but chicken thighs are super flavorful. If you swap to bone-in, skin-on thighs, you’ll want to sear them first, just like the recipe says, but then you might need to simmer for about 5 extra minutes to ensure they are cooked through before you check on the pasta. If you use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, just toss it in with the milk and stock! That way, it just heats through instead of cooking raw.
What is the best liquid to use instead of chicken stock?
The stock definitely adds depth, but if you don’t have any cubes or powder handy, don’t worry! Plain water works fine—you’ll just need to be sure to season your sauce well with salt and pepper. If you want to keep the savory notes but skip the chicken flavor for whatever reason, a good quality vegetable broth is a perfect one-to-one swap. This keeps the liquid balance the same for cooking your pasta perfectly in your One Pan Chicken Pasta.
How do I make this recipe suitable for Valentine Party Food?
That’s a fun idea! Since this is definitely a hearty dinner, if you want to serve it as Valentine Party Food, the key is presentation. Don’t serve it straight from the large skillet. Instead, scoop generous spoonfuls into small, cute ramekins or even fancy appetizer cups. Top it with a little extra fresh parsley or maybe even some shaved Parmesan instead of melted cheddar. Serving it in these small portions makes it look elegant, even though the cooking was super simple!
When you give this technique a try, make sure you check out my thoughts on specific cooking methods in my section on Thermomix dinner recipes for comparing speeds!
Sharing Your One Pan Chicken Pasta Experience
Okay, you’ve made it! You conquered the skillet, you cleaned up fast, and now you have this incredible, cheesy, savory pasta sitting in front of you. That’s huge! I truly hope this One Pan Chicken Pasta gives you back some precious time on a busy night.
Now, my favorite part of running this space is hearing from you guys—it helps me know what recipes to focus on next! Please, if you try this out this week, come back here and let me know how it went. Did the cheese melt perfectly under your broiler? Did you sneak in extra sneaky veggies?
Drop a rating below—even a quick five stars tells me this recipe is a winner. And if you took a picture, tag me! Sharing recipes built on real-life convenience is what it’s all about. If you have any last-minute questions that popped up while you were cooking, send them over through the contact page, and I’ll get right back to you. Happy cooking, I’m already excited to hear all about your dinner!
One Pan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes until they start to look translucent.
- Add the chicken, salt, and pepper to the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes until the chicken is sealed on the outside.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato puree, and red peppers. Add the dried pasta and stir everything together.
- Add the oregano, Worcestershire sauce, tins of chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, and milk. Stir well, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Cover the pan with a lid or foil and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, checking occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through.
- Stir in the chopped sugar snap peas. You want them hot but still slightly crisp.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the pasta. Place the pan under the grill or broiler for a few minutes until the cheese melts.
- Top with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.