One-Pot Chicken Penne Pasta

I keep coming back to this one-pot chicken penne pasta because it doesn’t make me stand over the stove doing ten different things. Last Tuesday I made it after work and honestly just wanted something that tasted like I tried without actually trying that hard.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Everything cooks in one pot so you’re not juggling a skillet and a pasta pot and a sauce pan
• The pasta soaks up all the broth and cream while it cooks, which means the flavor gets right into the noodles instead of sitting on top
• You can use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken and nobody knows
• It’s ready in 25 minutes start to finish
• The spinach wilts down into almost nothing so even picky eaters don’t complain about it
• Parmesan and mozzarella melt together into this sauce that’s thick enough to coat everything without being gloppy

The Story Behind This Recipe

I got tired of making chicken penne pasta the normal way with three pans going at once and then a sink full of stuff to wash. This version happened because I was too lazy one night to boil pasta separately and figured I’d just throw it all in together with enough liquid to cook through. Turns out that’s actually better because the starch from the penne helps thicken the sauce naturally and you don’t have to add flour or cornstarch or anything. I noticed the edges of the pot start to foam up right before the pasta hits that perfect texture where it’s still got some bite, and now I watch for that instead of setting a timer.

What You Need

You’re starting with olive oil to coat the bottom of your pot and keep the onions from sticking. I use regular yellow onions chopped up into pieces about the size of a dime, nothing fancy. The garlic is minced because bigger chunks don’t cook through fast enough and you end up biting into raw garlic later.

For the pasta you need dry penne, the kind with ridges on the outside that grab onto sauce. Don’t use fresh pasta for this because it cooks too fast and turns to mush before the liquid reduces down. Fresh tomatoes get chopped into chunks that break down as everything simmers together. I throw in a big handful of fresh spinach even though it looks like way too much at first.

Italian seasoning is that dried herb blend with oregano and basil and whatever else they put in there. Chicken broth is your cooking liquid along with cream, and you need enough to cover the pasta completely or it won’t cook evenly. Shredded parmesan and mozzarella go in at the end, and I’m talking about the stuff you shred yourself because pre-shredded has that coating that keeps it from melting smooth. Your cooked chicken should be sliced into strips or chunks, and rotisserie chicken from the store works just as well as anything you cooked yourself.

How to Make One-Pot Chicken Penne Pasta

Get your large pot on the stove and warm up some olive oil in the bottom. Toss in your chopped onions and minced garlic and let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring them around every so often so the garlic doesn’t burn. You’ll know they’re ready when the onions turn translucent and your kitchen starts smelling like an Italian-American pasta place.

Now dump in the dry penne along with the chopped tomatoes, all that spinach and the Italian seasoning. Pour in your chicken broth and cream until everything’s covered completely. Stir it all together so the pasta isn’t clumping in one spot.

Turn the heat up high to get the pot to a rolling boil. Once it’s bubbling hard, let it cook for about 10 minutes until the pasta is tender but still has some bite when you test a piece. There’s going to be liquid left in the pot and that’s exactly what you want — it becomes your sauce.

Here’s the thing nobody tells you: the foam that forms around the edges right when the pasta is almost done tells you more than any timer. I watch for that now instead of checking the clock.

Pull the pot off the heat and lower the temperature before you add the cheese. Sprinkle in your shredded parmesan and mozzarella, then stir constantly until they melt into the sauce and everything gets thick and creamy. If you add cheese while it’s still boiling hard it can separate and get grainy.

Add your sliced chicken pieces and put the pot back on low heat for 5 more minutes. This warms the chicken through without cooking it again, which would dry it out. The chicken picks up flavor from the sauce during this time and everything comes together.

Scoop it into bowls while it’s still hot. The sauce will thicken up more as it sits there.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I added the chicken way too early, like right after the onions and garlic, thinking it needed more time to cook. By the time the pasta was done the chicken had turned into these dry little rubber pieces that nobody wanted to eat. Turns out pre-cooked chicken only needs those last 5 minutes to warm up, not the full 20-minute cooking time. Now I set the chicken aside in a bowl on the counter and don’t even think about it until everything else is basically finished.

One-Pot Chicken Penne Pasta

By Emma

Prep:

5 min

Cook:

20 min

Total:

25 min

Servings:

6 servings

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Onions, chopped
• Garlic, minced
• Dry penne pasta
• Tomatoes, chopped
• Fresh spinach
• Italian seasoning
• Chicken broth
• Cream
• Parmesan cheese, shredded
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Cooked chicken, sliced

Method

1. 1 Warm olive oil in a large pot. Toss in chopped onions and minced garlic. Let onions soften and garlic release their aroma, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the kitchen smells inviting and the onions turn translucent.
2. 2 Dump in the dry penne, fresh tomatoes, spinach leaves, and sprinkle the Italian seasoning evenly. Pour enough chicken broth and cream to fully cover the pasta and veggies. Give everything a thorough stir so the noodles soak up liquid uniformly. Crank the heat to bring the pot to a rolling boil, then let it bubble away until the pasta is just tender but still firm when bitten, about 10 minutes. Expect some liquid to remain; it’s part of the creamy sauce.
3. 3 Lower the heat and sprinkle in shredded parmesan and mozzarella. Stir constantly to melt the cheeses into the sauce, thickening it and binding the flavors together with a rich, creamy texture.
4. 4 Add your sliced chicken pieces and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes. This step warms the chicken without drying it out, letting it mingle flavors with the cheesy sauce.
5. 5 Dish it out while hot and enjoy the blend of tender chicken, creamy cheese, and perfectly cooked pasta.

Nutritional information

Calories

610

Protein

42g

Carbs

50g

Fat

26g

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Tips for the Best One-Pot Chicken Penne Pasta

Use a pot that’s wider than it is tall because the pasta needs to spread out in a single layer under the liquid. If the noodles pile up on each other they cook unevenly and you get mushy pieces mixed with crunchy ones.

Shred your own cheese instead of buying the pre-shredded bags. The stuff in bags has cellulose coating to keep it from sticking together and it makes the sauce grainy instead of smooth.

Don’t walk away during those 10 minutes when the pasta’s boiling. The liquid level drops fast and if it gets too low before the noodles finish cooking you’ll end up with burnt pasta stuck to the bottom of your pot. I stir mine every 3 minutes or so.

Room temperature cream blends into the hot broth better than cold cream straight from the fridge. I pour mine into a measuring cup while I’m chopping onions and just let it sit on the counter.

That moment when the foam collects around the edges of the pot right before the pasta finishes — it happens around minute 8 or 9 — tells you the starches are releasing and your sauce is about to thicken up. Once you see it you’ve got maybe 90 seconds before the noodles go from al dente to overdone.

Serving Ideas

I put this in shallow bowls instead of plates because there’s enough sauce that it pools at the bottom and you want to scoop that up with bread. Garlic bread works but so does plain sourdough torn into chunks.

A simple arugula salad with lemon juice cuts through all the cream. Just dress it right before you eat or the greens get wilted and sad.

Crushed red pepper flakes on top add heat without making a whole separate spicy version. Some people at the table want it and some don’t.

Variations

Swap the spinach for kale but add it earlier with the broth because kale takes longer to soften. Spinach wilts in seconds but kale needs the full cooking time or you’re chewing on tough leaves.

Sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh ones give you this concentrated tangy flavor that’s almost sweet. Use the oil-packed kind and drain them first or your sauce gets too oily.

Turkey works the same way chicken does as long as it’s already cooked. Ground turkey doesn’t though — it breaks apart into little bits that disappear into the sauce and the texture gets weird.

Heavy cream makes it richer but half-and-half works if you want something lighter. Whole milk is too thin and the sauce won’t coat the pasta right, it just slides off.

FAQ

Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh? Yeah but thaw it completely and squeeze out all the water first. Frozen spinach holds a ton of liquid that’ll make your sauce watery if you don’t get rid of it.

What if I don’t have Italian seasoning? Mix your own with dried basil, oregano, and a pinch of thyme. It’s basically the same thing and you probably have those already.

How do I know when the pasta is done? Fish out a piece and bite it — there should be a tiny firm center but not crunchy. The pasta keeps cooking a little even after you take it off the heat so pull it when it’s almost there.

Can I make this with uncooked chicken? Cut raw chicken into small pieces and cook it with the onions and garlic until it’s not pink anymore. Then follow the rest like normal but the timing gets tricky because you’re trying to cook chicken and pasta at the same time.

Why is my sauce too thin? You added too much liquid at the start or didn’t let it boil long enough. Let it simmer an extra 2 minutes with the lid off to evaporate some liquid before you add the cheese.

Can I use a different pasta shape? Rigatoni or ziti work fine because they’re about the same size as penne. Don’t use angel hair or spaghetti — they cook way faster and turn to mush before the sauce reduces.

Do I have to use both parmesan and mozzarella? The parmesan adds salty flavor and the mozzarella makes it stretchy and creamy. You could use just one but you lose either the flavor depth or the texture.

How do I store leftovers? Put it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce gets absorbed into the pasta as it sits so it’ll be thicker when you reheat it.

What’s the best way to reheat this? Microwave it with a splash of chicken broth or milk to loosen up the sauce. Stovetop works too but you have to stir it constantly or the cheese on the bottom burns.

Can I double this recipe? Only if you’ve got a really big pot — like 8 quarts or more. The pasta needs enough room to move around in the liquid or it clumps together.

Why did my cheese turn grainy? The pot was still too hot when you added it. Pull it completely off the heat and wait 30 seconds before you sprinkle in the cheese, then stir like crazy.

What kind of cooked chicken works best? Rotisserie chicken from the store is easiest but leftover grilled chicken or baked chicken breasts cut into strips work just as well. Just make sure it’s in bite-sized pieces.

Can I add vegetables besides spinach? Mushrooms, bell peppers and zucchini all work but cook them with the onions first. Raw vegetables added later don’t have time to soften and you end up with crunchy bits.

Is there a way to make this ahead? Not really — one pot pasta is best right after you make it. The noodles keep soaking up liquid as it sits and by the next day it’s more like a casserole than pasta.

What size pot do I need? At least 5 quarts so there’s room for everything to bubble without boiling over the sides. I use a 6-quart Dutch oven and it’s just right.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Sure, thighs actually stay moister. Just make sure they’re cooked through before you slice them up to add at the end.

Why does the recipe say to watch for foam? The foam appears when the pasta starts releasing enough starch to thicken the liquid and that’s your signal the noodles are almost done. It’s more reliable than a timer because every stove heats differently.

Can I leave out the cream? You could use all chicken broth but then it’s not really creamy anymore, just brothy. The whole point of this chicken penne pasta is that thick sauce.

What if my pasta is done but there’s still too much liquid? Crank the heat back up and let it boil hard for another minute or two. The liquid will reduce down and when you add the cheese it’ll thicken up even more.

Do I need to cover the pot while it’s cooking? No, leave it uncovered so the liquid can reduce. If you cover it you trap all the steam and end up with soup instead of sauce.