Cook veggies first, add chicken and thicken with flour, pour in cream and broth, stir in raw pasta and let it cook. Toss in peas at the end for a complete one-pot meal.
Transform your weeknight cooking routine with this brilliant chicken pot pie pasta fusion. This recipe delivers all the rich, satisfying flavors of traditional chicken pot pie while cutting prep time in half. The creamy sauce and tender pasta combine for pure comfort food magic - ready in just 30 minutes using one pan.
The universal appeal of this dish never fails to amaze. Recently, I prepared it for a neighbor recovering from surgery. The next evening, I received a message that their typically selective children had eagerly finished their portions and were already asking when the next batch of "creamy chicken pasta" would arrive.
Essential Ingredients
- Cooked chicken: Use rotisserie chicken for convenience or leftover roasted chicken breast.
- Aromatics: The essential blend of diced onion, carrot and celery provides traditional pot pie flavor.
- Pasta: Choose shapes like penne or rotini that capture the creamy sauce effectively.
- Heavy cream: Creates the signature rich, silky sauce. Half-and-half works for a lighter version.
- Frozen peas: Add these last to maintain their fresh color and sweet crunch.
Cooking Technique
- Vegetable base
- Sauté aromatics until lightly golden to develop deep flavor foundations.
- Thickening process
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables and chicken, stirring constantly to create a smooth base.
- Liquid balance
- Combine broth and cream for perfect sauce consistency as pasta cooks.
- Pasta timing
- Cook pasta directly in sauce, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Final seasoning
- Adjust salt, pepper and herbs at the end to enhance flavors.
- Sauce consistency
- Allow sauce to rest briefly - it will reach ideal thickness as it cools.
This recipe emerged from a need to satisfy comfort food cravings while working within weeknight time constraints. Through careful refinement of seasonings and perfecting the liquid ratios, it has become a reliable family favorite that consistently delivers restaurant-quality results.