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.
This looks so good and sounds pretty easy to prepare. I’m definitely going to try this soon!
This is great! I added roasted chopped chicken and thawed frozen peas and Voila! Dinner! Please tackle a cream of spinach soup w/o the funky ingredients next!
Holy yum!
Looks sssooo good!
I was so excited to see a shout out to your website in the new Fitness magazine! :)You seriously have a hidden gem here! Love your recipes, and I look forward to Friday Favorites too!
So I was searching for a recipe on your site and accidentally submitted on your Subscribe to Daily Posts by Email “italian beef”. Sorry.. didn’t want to think you’ve been pranked :)
That looks amazing! As soon as I’m cleared of gestational diabetes (Baby Girl due in April!), I’m soooo making this! Thanks for a fun and funk-free recipe!
Thanks for a yummy looking dish. looking forward to making it! What type/brand of skillet do you use when cooking. I have stainless cookware and everything sticks and burns in my skillet.
I have these Calphalon Pans that I am OBSESSED with. Absolutely nothing sticks to them!
This dish, along with all your others, looks absolutely yummy. I’ve a semi-dumb question. Your pictures of the chicken ALWAYS look so delish. Do you bake then broil them or just broil them? I don’t think you could get them looking like that (browned so perfectly) from pan frying.
Thanks.
Not dumb at all! I cooked them on a skillet on the stove – here’s how: 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!
Well, you just KNOW what I’m going to be making tomorrow night! Thank you so much. Both chicken & pasta look easy enough to make so I think I’ll be good to go.
Look forward to more of your recipes.
Thanks again.
Dolores
Made this last night, it was excellent! Thank you! So easy to make.
I love that you have been remaking better versions of those knorr packs. I also used to eat the heck out of them back in the day..oh how I (sort of) miss when calories and processed junk wasn’t a second thought. Sometimes I’m tempted to grab them as an easy side when making dinner for my shift (fire dept), but my conscience doesn’t let me do it and I stick them with something like a second veggie hahaha. Anyhow, I might try this recipe out on them sometime soon!
Made this for dinner tonight! It was delicious, especially with a little parmesan sprinkled on top!
This looks absolutely delish. Love the idea of funky-ingredient-free creamy pasta. And I can’t help but mention that your chicken is browned so perfectly!
This looks easy and deelish! I posted on my Facebook page, maybe more will sign up for your emails.