Before giving you the recipe I gotta tell you… My Italian food experience is very much limited to Pizza Hut & pasta from some Italian restaurants here. I haven't gone through any Italian cookbooks yet. But I guess if reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Italian food experience in Eat, Pray, Love can be considered equivalent to tasting some authentic Italian dishes, then I fit the bill ;) I don't cook pasta much at home. We used to have it somewhat regularly from outside. Now that we are trying (I just said trying) to reduce eating out, I cook it once in a while.
So here's my version of Chicken Pasta. You can use this recipe as a guideline and play with it to make it as per your taste. I sometimes add Cajun seasoning or Sambal Oelek in the pasta, just to flavor it up. If you like your pasta to be flavorful and spicy, try it.
Here is the recipe…
If you are interested in more Chicken recipes, check out our Chicken ebooklet
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Pasta (I used penne pasta)
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup Cooked chicken (cut into bite size cubes (refer notes))
- 1 small Capsicum (cut into cubes)
- 1 tbsp Grated Garlic
- 1/2 – 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- Olive oil
- Salt
For white sauce
- 30 gms Butter (2 tbsp approx)
- 2 tbsp Plain flour
- 1 cup Milk
- 1/3 cup Chicken stock (refer notes)
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta as per package instructions. Keep it aside. Heat Olive oil in a pan & add grated garlic, fry it for 2 mins or so. Add cubed capsicum & salt till it becomes tender. Add Rosemary, Thyme & Oregano & give a stir. Add cooked chicken & Pasta. Mix well. Add the white sauce, combine it. Serve hot.
- White Sauce Preparation
- Heat butter in a pan. When it melts, add plain flour. Stir for 4-5 mins, when it starts changing colour add milk. Cook till it starts to thicken. Add chicken stock, salt & pepper & cook for 2-3 mins. Remove from fire.
Hi Maria,thanx for this recipe…was yummy.I usually end up having dry pasta …but ur advice to add white sauce just before serving,helped…your white sauce was perfect,not too heavy ,and added a wonderful saucy feel to the pasta..as I prefer a little bit of tanginess to everything,I added a small amount of tomato puree too while sauteing …Thanx a ton Maria….could u please also post an authentic North Indian or Hyderabad veg biryani…?
Thanks for the prompt reply. Is it possible to substitute butter with olive oil for making the sauce.
You are welcome :) I havent tried it with oil, so I’m not sure how it works.
Hello Maria ,nice pasta dish. I have a small doubt. For the white sauce part by plain flour did u mean all purpose flour? And also the quantity which u have mentioned,will it be sufficient for 2 persons?
Hi Deepthi,
Thank you :) Yes, it’s all purpose flour and the qty mentioned serves 2 people. Hope you get to try this soon.
Cheers
Maria
Great recipe! :)
Thanks Malia :)
Thanks Liby :) Nice to know that it was liked by your family.
Cheers
Maria
I made this recipe today and it was a big hit!! My 20 month old had it for lunch, dinner and later from his dad’s plate too. :-D gave some to my neighbors as well. Everyone just loved it!!! Thanks for this recipe!! Btw I’m also a kottayamkari! U go sister!!! :-)
Hi Neethu,
Thanks dear! I’m really happy to hear that it was a hit at your place and the fact that your lil one liked it makes me more happy :)
So we are neighbours, I’m from Changanacherry…
Cheers
Maria
Hey Maria
I tried out this recipe long back,but forgot to give my feedback.It was awesome.The only problem I faced was as a mallu we need a side dish for the main, so having Pasta alone for dinner hmm :) what can I have as sides for pasta ?
Hi Rose,
Thanks a lot dear for taking time to leave a comment here, appreciate it very much :)
hhmm what can we have as a side for pasta? how about some garlic bread? or may be some mushroom/chicken stir fry?
Cheers
Maria
Hi maria..I make the white sauce with a little bit of fresh cream and some ricotta cheese  along with all the other ingredients you mentioned and it turns out very good.Adding fresh cream also helps in removing flour out of the recipe.But I must say,this is a rich one and when you want a little bit of indulgence you could try this..
Hi Prita,
Thanks for sharing your version here. It sure sounds yum and of course rich too :) I’ll try it sometime when I’m in a mood to indulge ;)
Cheers
Maria
Hi Maria…
Hope all is well!!!!
I have tried chicken stew and chilly chicken from your blog…It came out really well.I have just started cooking only in recent past and all your recipes are simple and tasty.
Thank you so much!!!1
Keep Blogging
Regards
Nancy
Hi Maria,
Where do i get to buy Rosemary, Thyme & Oregano? I am staying in Qatar.
Hi Swapna,
It’s available in all stores, check out the dry spices section.
Cheers
Maria
this was my second try from your blog maria. it came out awesome,,, i think i messed up the sauce part a bit,, when i saw it thicken i added a little more milk and then a little more stock and again little more,and finally it was too much!!!! but that didnt stop us from licking out our plates clean :) and i used three pinches of mixed pasta seasoning, that had oregano, rosemary n thyme,,, It looked very pretty, and presentable, planning to make it again for my sister when i go home,,. My first try from here was chilli chicken, it was good n spicy n mouth-watering n (i should actually let my hubby type the adjectives here),, and now pasta,, came out really good, much better than i expected out of my culinary skills,,, i’m ready to whip out more from your blog,,, thinking of some egg recipe or today’s prawn recipe for lunch tomorrow :) Keep up the good work maria, each and every page, that i’ve gone through here shows your efforts into each recipe.Â
Hi Fari,
Thanks a ton for taking time to share your feedback here. Appreciate it very much dear :)
Yeah it happens with white sauce… I also end up adding more milk & stock at times ;) I do hope you get to try other recipes from here & like them too…
Happy cooking :)
Cheers
Maria
wow delicious
Thanks Nida :)
Hi Maria… I tried out your Pasta recipe and it came out fantastic. Thanks a lot.. I was looking for a pasta recipe and yours is perfect. I will definitely pass it on to my daughter who is crazy about pasta…Cheers – Geeta
Hi Geeta,
Thanks a bunch for the wonderful feedback. Its great to know that this recipe came out well for you. Thanks again, for recommending the recipe to your daughter. Hope she will also like it :)
Cheers
Maria
Hi Maria, discovered your site whilst looking out for nice Keerala dishes-maybe we should exchange as I’m better at pasta than Kerala food! Pop by whenever you are free. Nice bechamel btw.Â
Hi Jehanne,
Thanks for dropping in! Will drop by your place too..
Cheers
Maria
Thank you so much Maria! I never knew how to make the white sauce, but following ur recipe, it just came out perfect!!! I made very little sauce thinking that if it does not come out right, i may just lose all my ingredients. Next time, shall send you an image as well! I used corn flour instead of maida. :)
Hi Sree,
Its great to know that your white sauce came out well :) I’d love to see the pic. Please send it when you make it next time, ok? Thanks for the comment.
Cheers
Maria
Surely!!! :) Now I am scouting for a way to store “malli ela”. Could you help me there?
Hi Sree,
hhmmm I dont have any special technique as such, I just keep it in a plastic cover in my veg tray in the fridge & it usually stays fresh for 5-6 days.
Cheers
Maria
Surely!!! :) Now I am scouting for a way to store “malli ela”. Could you help me there?
Hi Simi,
Please try it when time permits. I’d love to know your feedback :)
Cheers
Maria
Hi maria,i tried ds recipe nd it was a big hit in my home:-)) Thnku!!!!
Thanks a lot dear :)
Cheers
Maria
Thanks Reshmi!
Hi Renuka,
Thank you! I also keep it in oven sometimes,depending on the time. If I’m in a hurry oven is out of the pic ;) Btw, adding nutmeg is new to me. I will try it next time :)
Cheers
Maria
Hi Gayathri,
Yeah it has a very nice flavor with the chicken stock and herbs. Ohh yes, Mrs Vannellis is our fav… its been ages I had their pasta :(
Btw, how was your parents visit? Hope you had a lovely time with them…
Take care
Maria
Hi Madhu,
Thanks a bunch for the wonderful comment! Nice to know that you like cooking & also tasting them :)
Cheers
Maria
Hi Suni,
Hope you are doing good.
Thanks dear! Did you try this recipe? Hope you liked it…
Cheers
Maria
Hi Anthony,
How are you?
Yeah the flavor is really nice with herbs & cajun.
Cheers
Maria
Hi Preethi,
Hope you are having a great time. Please try it and let me know your feedback. Good to know that the chocolate cake is still running successfully at your place :) Have fun & enjoy your holidays dear!
Cheers
Maria
Hi Sumy,
Hope you get to try this recipe soon. Please let me know how it turns out, ok?
Cheers
Maria
Hi Shebi,
I’m really happy that you liked the pasta recipe. Thank you so much for trying this and also for sharing your feedback here :)
Cheers
Maria
Those ppl who love pastas have to try this one ..http://www.food.com/recipe/olive-garden-chicken-and-shrimp-carbonara-318957
Its a wonderful recipe, and one of the best in the best Italian Restaurant in USA (Olive Garden).
Test comment
hey…i tried out this today for dinner and it came out very very goood…..me and hubby just loved it. i was looking for a good pasta recipe for long…yaay i got da right one…thanks a lott. may god bless u!
Hi Maria,
I was eagerly waiting for a pasta recipe from you. Thanks for posting this.
Regards,
Sumy
Hey Maria,
Since none of your recipes has let me down, I am surely going to try this one out once I get the ingredients. With the vacations on, it is constantly some new dish or the other and will definetly write after i have experimented with this recipe too…
Meanwhile, I have lost count of the number of times I have baked the moist chocolate cake. It is a super duper hit with the kids and friends too..
Regard to Jose and take care.
This looks like a great dish with the herbs and I like to use cajun seasoning. The Bechamel sauce really ties it all together.
I absolutely love, love, love pasta & I’m sure gonna try this out right now, Maria!!! Thanks and one again stunning photography!
hi maria,
all ur reciepe r too good to taste. I have just started visiting ur site. I ‘ve made beef fry(kallushappu style) and Kaya with beef curry. Its is too nice. Enjoyed cooking and tasting.
Nice and simple but sounds so flavourful..I luvvv pasta esp white sauce ones. Glad you havn’t added cheese.Have you tried Mrs Vannellis?? Though not gourmet,feel it to be pretty good for a fast food kind of an outlet..Will definitely be trying this one out..
This is a wonderful dish (especially with the cajun seasoning) and not difficult to prepare either.
Thank You.
Hey Maria…Nice One… Usually when I make I put half of the white sauce and sum cheese on top of the pasta, and broil it in oven for like 5 mins….Urs seems to be a more healthy version, so have to try this…
Just a suggestion if u add a pinch of nutmeg to the white sauce, it adds flavor to it…:)
Delicious Pasta…Nice pic
Pasta is my all time fave!!!!wil surely try out ds nd wil let u knw hw it came out!!!!!