Food and Recipes Pasta 30 Chicken Pasta Recipes That Make Dinnertime So Easy By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 28, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez If you're feeling a little lackluster in the kitchen, particularly on busy weeknights, there's one fail-safe duo you can always turn to: chicken and pasta. Together, these two ingredients make up our weeknight warrior starter pack. Between Southern staples like smothered chicken over egg noodles and chicken spaghetti casserole, as well as new picks like Thai chicken noodle bowls and Caprese-inspired chicken-pesto pasta, you'll never run out of dinnertime inspiration with these chicken pasta recipes on deck. Infinitely versatile, easy on cleanup, and friendly for the whole family, the combination of budget-friendly chicken and hearty pasta can (and should) be served with reckless abandon. Read on for 30 delicious ways to prepare chicken and pasta. 01 of 30 Chicken-Bacon Ranch Casserole Alison Miksch Bacon and ranch are a tale as old as time. In this weeknight-friendly dish, a cheesy, creamy sauce seasoned with ranch is folded together with rotisserie chicken and penne pasta, then topped with bacon for a bit of crunch. Bake until bubbly and dinner is served. 02 of 30 Baked Ziti With Chicken Photographer: Will Dickey Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford Food Stylist: Erin Merhar We reimagined this family classic using store-bought rotisserie chicken. For the freshest flavor, we prepare a homemade tomato sauce that is totally worth it, then add a thick layer of mozzarella and Parmesan. Top with fresh basil leaves and enjoy every cheesy bite. 03 of 30 Chicken-And-Broccoli Skillet Pasta Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Serve this meal right out of the skillet for casual family-style dining. To put this chicken and broccoli skillet supper together, simply shred your chicken, cook the bacon, then make a sauce with butter, garlic, chicken broth, cream, and seasonings. Stick it under the broiler for a few minutes for a crispy brown top. 04 of 30 Buffalo Chicken Mac And Cheese Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Take your macaroni-and-cheese to the next level with spicy Buffalo chicken. This baked macaroni recipe adds in rotisserie chicken and hot sauce, plus bread crumbs mixed with blue cheese. It just makes sense to enjoy these two favorite dishes together. 05 of 30 Easy Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer You only need a Dutch oven and a 9-x-13 baking dish to create this delicious meal. Cook and shred your chicken in advance to save time. Loads of bell peppers and chopped tomatoes make this a colorful and complete meal. 06 of 30 One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis You'll want to have this hearty and mess-free Cajun dish on deck, trust us. Cajun-seasoned chicken and a simple white sauce are cooked and then baked in a Dutch oven for a meal that is sure to please. 07 of 30 Snappy Smothered Chicken William Dickey Southerners will smother anything, and this chicken is delightfully so in a savory sauce of paprika, thyme, garlic, butter, and cream of mushroom soup. An optional splash of white wine adds even more to the flavor. Spoon over egg noodles. 08 of 30 Chicken Caprese Pasta Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Between the blistered tomatoes, fresh pesto sauce, and torn chunks of mozzerella, we can't think of a reason not to make this recipe right now. Not to mention, this company-worthy dish comes together in just 20 minutes. This light and refreshing pasta is a great way to show off your garden's bounty. 09 of 30 Chicken Noodle Bowl With Peanut-Ginger Sauce Greg DuPree Not all noodles must come in the form of a creamy casserole or marinara-laden dish. This noodle bowl is packed with colorful veggies, rotisserie chicken, and a to-die-for Thai sauce. Serve over rice noodles or bean threads. 10 of 30 Heavenly Chicken Lasagna Lee Harrelson; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Sometimes we feel like skipping the ground beef and tomato sauce. Four cheeses melt into rich and creamy sauce, sautéed onions, sliced mushrooms, chopped spinach, and chicken. And we use jarred Alfredo sauce to reduce the prep time. 11 of 30 Soulful Chicken Soup Iain Bagwell Can't forget the forever classic. This perfectly homey, old-fashioned chicken soup is made in your slow cooker, which means the meat cooks to fall-off-the-bone tenderness while you're finishing up other tasks. Leeks, fresh herbs, and lemon juice brighten the flavor. 12 of 30 Chicken-And-Broccoli Pasta Bake Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel This recipe delivers on all the important fronts: simple and satisfying ingredients, quick prep time, family-friendly, and easy clean-up. Pepperoncini salad peppers add an extra zip to the dish. 13 of 30 Crispy Chicken Thighs With Pasta And Pesto Photo: Greg Dupree Never thought so crispy a chicken thigh could come from a simple one-pot recipe? Prepare to be amazed. This chicken goes from stovetop to oven and returns with perfectly crisp, dark-golden skin and juicy, tender meat, served over pasta with homemade arugula pesto. 14 of 30 Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake Iain Bagwell; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Talk about a pretty picture. This colorful casserole is packed to the brim with cheese-filled tortellini, fresh broccoli, and chicken. That's a trio kids and adults alike will love. 15 of 30 King Ranch Chicken Mac And Cheese Becky Luigart-Stayner Who knew the storied King Ranch casserole could be redone into an even more indulgent dish? Well, turns out the Tex-Mex favorite makes an excellent macaroni and cheese. Simply stir in with pasta instead of layering over tortillas. 16 of 30 Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole Greg DuPree No one will know you skipped some corners when serving this cheesy staple. Rotisserie chicken, store-bought sauces, and pre-shredded cheese make this chicken casserole almost too easy. Best served with crusty bread and salad at big family gatherings. 17 of 30 One-Pan Pasta With Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, And Collards Greg DuPree We paired this pasta with chicken sausage, mushrooms, red onion, and collard greens, and bam! A hearty, one-dish dinner is served. The light sauce is based on chicken stock and a touch of vinegar. 18 of 30 Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Hector Sanchez In a sea of chicken casseroles, this spaghetti bake stands out as a crowd-favorite. The best casseroles have all our favorite things: chicken, butter, cheese, pasta, and a dash of hot sauce. 19 of 30 Chicken-And-Prosciutto Tortelloni Soup Alison Miksch You won't find a more comforting fall soup. Tomato-based with spinach, chicken, prosciutto, and tortellini, this stew makes plenty of appearances on our weeknight menu. Any flavor of tortellini works well in this dish. 20 of 30 Pecan-Crusted Chicken And Tortellini With Herbed Butter Sauce Jennifer Davick You'll love every nutty, buttery bite of this chicken dinner. And you won't miss the breading at all once you taste the golden-brown pecan crust. With a few packages of cheese tortellini and just half an hour, this recipe can hit that supper table. 21 of 30 Farmers' Market Pasta Salad Hector Manuel Sanchez Every ingredient in this pasta salad packs a punch. From the seasonal vegetables and peaches to the smoked chicken, this dish doesn't skimp on flavor. Normally made with penne, you can make the dish even more filling with a cheese tortellini. 22 of 30 Pan-Fried Chicken-And-Ham Parmesan Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Rose Nguyen Chicken, ham, and Parmesan cheese? These are the kind of layers we can get behind. A garlicky butter sauce coats the pasta for an easy (and super tasty) base. Topped with grape tomatoes sautéed with brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. 23 of 30 Quick Chicken Noodle Bowls Jennifer Davick Crisp and light, these noodle bowls are there when you need a quick, comforting meal. Lime juice, soy sauce, and ginger give it zingy flavor. Toppings include thinly sliced sugar snap peas, fresh cilantro and mint leaves, and thinly sliced green onions and red chili peppers. 24 of 30 Grilled Chicken-And-Veggie Tortellini Beth Dreiling Hontzas If you're looking for a colorful, summery pasta, this one is a winner. In this dish, chicken and zucchini are grilled for smoky flavor. After that, simply toss the six ingredients together—including store-bought pesto—for a quick dinner. 25 of 30 Chicken Tetrazzini With Prosciutto And Peas Jennifer R. Davick This update on classic chicken tetrazzini adds the complementary pairing of salty prosciutto and baby English peas. Except for crisping the prosciutto and boiling the pasta, there's no cooking involved before you stick your baking dish in the oven. 26 of 30 Chicken-And-Artichoke Penne Alison Miksch Turn your spinach-and-artichoke dip into a hearty chicken dinner. A trio of Parmesan, artichoke hearts, and spinach jazzes up penne pasta. Using frozen artichoke hearts, this dish can be made any time of the year. 27 of 30 One Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely This One Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta is the food mash-up you've been looking for. Pepper Jack cheese and a little pasta water yield a sauce that's creamy but not too thick. Chili powder and cumin add just the right amount of smoky flavor—add chopped jalapeños if you like a little heat, 28 of 30 Penne With Squash And Italian Chicken Sausage Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Our Penne with Squash and Italian Chicken Sausage will be the special fall dinner you keep on repeat. This healthier pasta dish gets a nutritional boost from red kuri or butternut squash, which cooks down to make a creamy, orange sauce resembling mac and cheese. Fresh herbs and bell peppers add even more savory-sweet flavor. 29 of 30 Cast-Iron Chicken Picatta Lightly breaded chicken cutlets are seared in a cast-iron skillet until golden brown. Then lemon juice, capers, and parsley are whisked into a rich broth for bold flavor. Serve over the pasta of your choice with a spoonful of sauce, and you have a dinner so delicious you'll forget how quick and easy it was to make. 30 of 30 Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore With Spaghetti Hector Manuel Sanchez We'll take any excuse to use our slow cooker, especially when it means a recipe only takes 20 minutes to prepare. Bursting with flavor from chunky fire-roasted tomatoes, olives, and mushrooms, this sneakily easy dish makes anyone look like a professional. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit