Creamy Chicken Pasta | iowagirleats.com

I’m so excited to share the recipe for Creamy Chicken Pasta with you! It’s a spinoff of my Creamy Garlic Shellsthe homemade version of the popular pasta sides packets you’ll find at the grocery store. As much as I used to love me some garlic pasta packets – I absolutely INHALED the creamy chicken ones in college. Like, with a vengeance.

They were cheap, easy, and delicious, but full of some really funky ingredients. Well guess what? My homemade version is just as cheap, easy, and delicious, plus it’s funky ingredient-free!

Creamy Chicken Pasta | iowagirleats.com

Pasta and chopped veggies simmer in a luxurious sauce to make a creamy (yet cream-free!) side dish that’s perfect to pair with any weeknight meal. You will LOVE this easy side, plus I bet you already have every single ingredient on hand. Huzzah!

Creamy Chicken Pasta | iowagirleats.com

Start by breaking up 8oz fettuccine noodles. The pasta in the chicken pasta packets are wide like fettuccine, but short, so I mimicked the shape by snapping handfuls of the noodles in half, then the halves into thirds. If you don’t want to go to the trouble (it seriously took me under a minute though,) I’d at least break them into quarters.

Drop the pasta into a big pot of salted, boiling water then cook until it’s just under al dente, as the pasta will continue to cook a bit in the sauce at the end. Drain then set aside.

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Meanwhile, melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat then add 1 chopped small carrot (about 1/3 cup,) 1 chopped rib celery (about 1/3 cup too,) and 1 chopped small shallot. Season with salt and pepper then saute until tender, 5-7 minutes.

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Next, sprinkle in 2 Tablespoons flour then cook while whisking for 1 minute.

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Now slowly stream in 1 cup each milk and chicken broth while whisking to avoid lumps. I’ve made this dish using both skim and 2% milk, so just use whatever you’ve got in the fridge!

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Add 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley and more salt and pepper then turn the heat up to medium-high until bubbling.

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Turn the heat back down to medium then cook until the sauce is thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.

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Finally, add the drained pasta to the sauce then stir to combine and cook for a couple more minutes to let the noodles finish cooking. Note: the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools so make sure you don’t let it get too thick, otherwise it will turn pasty!

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Serve the Creamy Chicken Pasta as a side dish with any dinner!

Creamy Chicken Pasta | iowagirleats.com

Creamy Chicken Pasta (No Pasta Packet Required!)

5/5 (4 REVIEWS)

Description

Gluten-free Creamy Chicken Pasta tastes just like the store-bought Chicken Pasta Sides packet - without the funky ingredients!

Ingredients

serves 4-6

  • 8oz fettuccine
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 small carrot, minced (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 rib celery, minced (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 small shallot or 1/2 small onion, minced
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk, any kind
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions

  1. Break fettuccine into sixths (I broke chunks of noodles in half then each half into thirds.) Cook pasta in a big pot of salted, boiling water until just under al dente - it will continue cooking in the sauce. Drain then set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat then add carrot, celery, and shallot. Season with salt and pepper then saute until tender, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle in flour then whisk and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in chicken broth and milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Turn heat up to medium-high until bubbling then turn heat back down to medium, add parsley and more salt and pepper then cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbly, 5 minutes.
  3. Add pasta to the sauce then stir to combine and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Creamy Chicken Pasta | iowagirleats.com

You will go back for forkful after forkful of this yummy, satisfying side. It’s almost like a quick version of chicken and noodles. Well, I guess that’s exactly what it is! ;) Enjoy, guys!

Creamy Chicken Pasta | iowagirleats.com