I’m so excited to share the recipe for Creamy Chicken Pasta with you! It’s a spinoff of my Creamy Garlic Shells, the 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!
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!
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.
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.
Next, sprinkle in 2 Tablespoons flour then cook while whisking for 1 minute.
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!
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!
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Creamy Chicken Pasta (No Pasta Packet Required!)
Description
Gluten-free Creamy Chicken Pasta tastes just like the store-bought Chicken Pasta Sides packet - without the funky ingredients!
Ingredients
- 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
- 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.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://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!
Rosemary hake 02.10.2014
Looks yummy..and if you want a workout try hot yoga!! It’s a killer
Janet 02.10.2014
I love your recipes and am currently working my way through several I want to try. On this recipe I notice it uses one cup of broth. What do you do with your leftover broth. Do you freeze it or make another recipe to use the partially used? Can’t wait to try this one.
Kristin 02.10.2014
Yes, you can absolutely freeze broth! You can either pour it into a freezer bag then freeze flat, or freeze in ice cube trays, mason jars, etc. I just thaw overnight in the refrigerator before I want to use it!
Nichole 02.10.2014
I hadn’t run in a a little over a week, and went this morning before work and ohhh do my legs feel like jelly! I used to LOVE those inexpensive saucy, pasta packs, but definitely they aren’t the healthiest. Can’t wait to make this, instead!
kristy 02.10.2014
always love your recipes, but couldnt help notice that awesome looking whisk you have! where did you get that? totally cute and modern! lol.
Kristin 02.10.2014
IKEA! LOVE it – totally gets into all the nooks and crannies. :)
MH 02.10.2014
Thank you!
I too am on the lookout for rice side recipes – my 8 yr old just this weekend requested one that I can’t even find anymore – Green Giant frozen box of rice with some mushrooms and peas – I need to figure out what to do for the sauce/seasonings.
And another question since I don’t usually comment – why do you use shallots instead of onions?
Oh – and way to go on the run!
Kristin 02.10.2014
Good question! Onions hurt Ben’s stomach, but we tend to like the more mild taste of shallots better anyway. That being said I still love onions – they can be used interchangeably with shallots in pretty much any recipe!
Dawn @OfficeGymRepeat 02.10.2014
Ahhh! This is awesome, I love those little packets – but stopped eating them because of all the weird stuff. And, I have everything (minus the shallot) in my pantry so this would be an awesome, easy, mid-week meal side :)
Monday Mood Lifters | Brainy Girls Beauty 02.10.2014
[…] at Iowa Girl Eats has really outdone herself this time. She’s created a version of that delicious classic […]
Emily T 02.10.2014
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!
Kristin 02.10.2014
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! :)
Julie 02.10.2014
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!
Rachel 02.10.2014
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!
Stephanie @ Plain Chicken 02.10.2014
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.
Jamie | Jamie's Recipes 02.10.2014
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!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie 02.10.2014
I don’t think I’ve ever had the store-bought version of this, but I’d love to try the homemade version!
Hannah @ PalmBeachRunner 02.10.2014
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!
Jana G 02.10.2014
Yep! She said in the post she has used skim before, she said you could use whatever you have on hand :)
Deanna 02.10.2014
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.
Anne [A Squared] 02.10.2014
I love that you remade this! Those pasta packets are so good, but so gross at the same time.
Katie Mac 02.10.2014
This made my day. I have been looking for someone to do this forever. And creamy chicken is my fav. Knorr packet!
Bonnie 02.10.2014
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.
Bonnie here again 02.10.2014
I made these for lunch today and all I can say is YUM! Keep the great recipes coming IGE!
Madison 02.10.2014
YES please! I’ve been looking for a creamy pasta recipe. Perfecto!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness 02.10.2014
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! :)