Creamy Chicken Pasta is an easy, gluten free pasta side dish recipe that tastes like the store-bought Chicken Pasta Sides packet!
Creamy Chicken Pasta is a spinoff of my Creamy Garlic Shells, a 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.
What can I say, they’re 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!
Pasta and chopped veggies simmer in a luxurious, creamy (yet cream-free!) sauce that’s perfect for pairing with any weeknight meal. It’s like a quick version of chicken and noodles.
You will LOVE this easy side, plus I bet you already have every single ingredient on hand!
Start by breaking up 8oz fettuccine noodles.
The pasta in the chicken pasta packets are wide like fettuccine, but short, so I mimic the shape by snapping handfuls of fettuccini inhalf, then the halves into thirds.
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.
Meanwhile, melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat then add 1 chopped small carrot, 1 chopped rib celery, and 1 chopped small shallot. Season with salt and pepper then saute until tender, 5-7 minutes.
Next, sprinkle in 2 Tablespoons gluten free flour then cook while whisking for 1 minute.
Now slowly stream in 1 cup each milk and chicken broth while whisking to avoid lumps. Use whatever kind of milk you have in the fridge.
Add 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley and more salt and pepper then turn the heat up to medium-high until bubbling.
Turn the heat back down to medium then cook until the sauce is thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
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!
Serve the Creamy Chicken Pasta as a side dish with any dinner.
You will go back for forkful after forkful of this yummy, satisfying side. Enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz gluten free 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 gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk, any kind
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Directions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
- Serve with chicken and a roasted veggie.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
First off, thank you for all your cooking experiments, it helps my meal planning :) I think this is something my husband would eat. Would you tell me how you cooked the chicken? I get so weirded out cooking mine that at times I can overcook it. Yours looks perfectly cooked!
First I pounded the chicken out to an even thickness (placed it on a cutting board then put a piece of plastic wrap on top and used a rolling pin,) then I misted it with extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides. Next I cooked it in a skillet pre-heated over medium-high heat(about 6/10 on the heat scale) for 3-4 minutes a side. Let rest for 4-5 mins then slice! :)
Oh my goodness…my husband will be so happy! My husband (and yeah, me too)loves these, but we never buy them because they aren’t very healthy. Happy to have an alternative!
Great job getting back on running! That can be really tough to do and a little scary. Very inspiring – I’m going to hop back on the treadmill today!
I must try this ASAP. I love those noodle packets. Can’t wait to try your homemade version. I know it will be so much better.
Love this! I consumed an obscene amount of those noodles packets and steamed California mix veggies while in college. I mean come on Hy-Vee constantly had them on sale for less than $1 who could resist?!
I can’t wait to give this real version a try!
I don’t think I’ve ever had the store-bought version of this, but I’d love to try the homemade version!
oh wow, didn’t realize how to make creamy sauce- that looks amazing and not too difficult for someone like me! lol thanks for sharing! I wonder, could you use 1% or skim milk? love your blog!
Yep! She said in the post she has used skim before, she said you could use whatever you have on hand :)
I love these homemade versions of the processed food we all rely on sometimes (and love). I’d love to see you tackle a “Rice-a-roni” rice recipe next! That’s a processed food my family can’t seem to get away from.
I love that you remade this! Those pasta packets are so good, but so gross at the same time.
This made my day. I have been looking for someone to do this forever. And creamy chicken is my fav. Knorr packet!
I’m so excited for this recipe! I loved these back in the day too. I’m going to test this out at lunch today.
I made these for lunch today and all I can say is YUM! Keep the great recipes coming IGE!
YES please! I’ve been looking for a creamy pasta recipe. Perfecto!
I love a good creamy pasta…especially one with no funky ingredients! I like to be able to pronounce all the ingredients in the food that I eat, thanks for this super easy recipe! :)