With the cost of chicken on the rise, eating pasta is great way to save money. I love my easy Chicken With Penne And Asparagus recipe because it’s easy to make and only costs a few bucks per serving.
Ottolenghi is an absolute wizard in the kitchen when it comes to vegetables. Let’s kick back with this delicious, comforting dish of chicken and pasta and then, I’ll show you how to cook one of my favorite Ottolenghi recipes — farro salad.
Chicken And Asparagus Pasta
Ingredients
for 6 servings
- 1 lb penne pasta(455 g)
- ¼ cup olive oil(60 mL), plus 2 tablespoons
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, diced
- 1 lb chicken breast(455 g), cubed
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- ½ cup chicken broth(120 mL)
- 1 lb aspargus(455 g)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese(110 g)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes(400 g), or grape tomatoes
Nutrition Info
View Info
Preparation
- In a pot, cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, then set aside.
- In the same pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté 2 garlic cloves.
- Add chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper, and fully cook. Remove cooked chicken from pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, pour the chicken broth, then add asparagus, salt, pepper, and the remaining garlic and stir. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add cooked chicken, penne, remaining olive oil, parmesan, and tomatoes, and stir until fully incorporated and the cheese has melted.
- Serve while hot.
- Enjoy!
Creamy Chicken Asparagus Penne Pasta
This Creamy Chicken Asparagus Penne Pasta is a marvellous dinner recipe that’s filled to the brim with fresh veggies and tender pasta in a light and creamy sauce.
We love to serve this pasta dish with a Caesar side salad or garlic breadsticks for a complete meal.
This easy dinner comes together so fast with tender chunks of chicken thighs (you can also use chicken breast), pasta and fresh seasonal veggies.
Creamy Chicken Asparagus Penne Pasta
When asparagus is in season I love to add it to all sorts of dishes. This recipe is great because you can easily swap out the asparagus for green beans or any other green veggies that is in season.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to make this simple pasta recipe. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Penne Pasta – or any other short pasta like bow tie, fussili, etc.
- Chicken Thighs – you can swap with chicken breast if desired.
- Asparagus – or any other seasonal green veggie
- Mushrooms
- Red Bell Pepper
- Onion
- Milk
- Chicken Broth
- Parmesan Cheese
How To Make Chicken Penne Pasta
COOK PASTA Start by cooking the pasta in boiling water according to package instructions. Save some of the pasta water for making the creamy sauce later!
SAUTÉ CHICKEN Dice the chicken thighs, season and cook in a hot skillet until they are nice and golden brown. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
PREPARE VEGGIES Next toss in the chopped veggies into the hot skillet and cook until they are crisp tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. If you’re using a thicker, heartier green veggies, you may have to cook them a little longer.
Asparagus was the main player this time, but sliced mushrooms, diced bell pepper and onion also made their way in there.
MAKE THE SAUCE This sauce is made with a simple roux (butter and flour mixture) to create a silky smooth sauce. Make sure to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan for an extra boost of flavor.
To thin the sauce a little more, go ahead and use the reserved pasta water.
COMBINE EVERYTHING Once the sauce is ready, add the chicken, veggies and pasta back to the pan and toss it all to combine.
Creamy Chicken Asparagus Penne Pasta
This Creamy Chicken Asparagus Penne Pasta is a marvelous dinner recipe that’s filled to the brim with fresh veggies and tender pasta in a light and creamy sauce.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 439 kcal
Ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta, uncooked
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 4 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- ½ large red bell pepper, diced
- ½ onion, diced
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups parmesan, shredded
- parsley, chopped ( for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile season the diced chicken thighs with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Cook chicken in skillet, until browned and cooked through, transfer chicken to a plate to keep warm.
- To the same skillet add 1 tbsp olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the veggies and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp tender (about 3 to 5 minutes). Remove veggies from skillet to the plate with the chicken and keep warm.
- Add the last tbsp of olive oil to the skillet along with 4 tbsp of butter, over medium heat. Use a spoon or whisk to scrap up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet (that’s extra flavor!). Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and flour, whisk until mixture is thickened and smooth. Slowly pour in the milk and chicken broth, whisking continuously until the liquid is added. Finally add in the parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Add the chicken and veggies back to the pan as well as the cooked pasta. Stir to combine and coat evenly with sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1303IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 297mg | Iron: 3mg
Chicken and asparagus tossed with penne
Dietitian’s tip:
Goat cheese has a tangy flavor. Feta can be substituted for it in this recipe.
Number of servings
Serves 2
- Healthy carb
- High Fiber
- Low Sodium
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked whole-grain penne pasta
- 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, no salt added, including juice
- 2 teaspoons dried basil or oregano
- 1 ounce soft goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
Directions
Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender), 10 to 12 minutes, or according to the package directions. Drain the pasta thoroughly. Set aside.
In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the asparagus. Cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Spray a large nonstick frying pan with cooking spray. Add the chicken and garlic and saute over medium-high heat. Cook until the chicken is golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, including their juice, basil or oregano and simmer 1 minute more.
In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, steamed asparagus, chicken mixture and goat cheese. Toss gently to mix evenly.
To serve, divide the pasta mixture between 2 plates. Sprinkle each serving with 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Nutritional analysis per serving
Serving size: About 2 1/2 cups
- Total carbohydrate54 g
- Dietary fiber11 g
- Sodium140 mg
- Saturated fat4 g
- Total fat9 g
- Trans fatTrace
- Cholesterol75 mg
- Protein34 g
- Monounsaturated fat2 g
- Calories433
- Added sugars0 g
- Total sugars9 g