10 Chicken Pasta Recipes You'll Actually Make

If you’ve got chicken in the fridge and no idea what to do with it, I’ve got you. These are 10 of my favorite chicken pasta recipes, from a classic pesto chicken pasta to a cheesy tomato pasta bake and a cozy chicken gnocchi soup.

If you’re new here, I’d start with my creamy chicken pasta. It’s a reader favorite for good reason! For a Sunday lunch when you’ve got a bit more time to cook, I’d go for my white wine chicken ragù.

Hi! I don’t know how it works in your house, but in ours, I’m team creamy and my husband Dave is firmly team tomato. I’d go straight for the creamy chicken and mushroom pasta. If Dave’s choosing, I’d put money on the spicy tomato chicken pasta.

I’ve included a mix of creamy and tomato based recipes, with a bit of everything in between. I’ve thoroughly tested them all in my own kitchen, but I love hearing how you make them your own. Toss in a handful of spinach or add an extra pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a bit more kick.

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Fettuccine in a creamy sauce with golden brown sliced chicken on top. Fresh rosemary leaves and lemon zest sprinkled on top.

My best creamy chicken pasta

If you’re new here, start with this one. Golden pan seared chicken and a creamy parmesan sauce make it the recipe I’d point you to when you’re craving a classic chicken pasta.

25 minutes

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Bench top with a plate of spicy chicken pasta and the fry pan above with remaining pasta and serving spoon.

Spicy Tomato Chicken Pasta

A rich tomato sauce with a kick of red pepper flakes. I love this one with rigatoni and a generous shower of parmesan cheese.

35 minutes

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Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

Bite sized pieces of golden chicken tossed through pasta in a creamy basil pesto sauce. A jar of your favorite pesto makes this an easy one to pull together on a weeknight.

30 minutes

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White plate with rigatoni pasta in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and chicken pieces. Fork resting in and parsley scattered on top.

Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

If you love mushrooms, this is the one to make. Browning them first gives the creamy sauce a deep, savory flavor that is the perfect base for the creamy white wine sauce.

35 minutes

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Chicken Pasta Bake

Chicken and pasta in a creamy tomato sauce, baked under a layer of golden cheese. This is the perfect crowd pleaser and a great one to prepare ahead.

1 hour 5 minutes

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White plate with spaghetti in a butter sauce. Sliced golden chicken breast in top and a fork with noodles twirled around.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken (no cream)

Tender chicken is tossed through a glossy garlic and parmesan sauce that’s packed with flavor, made without heavy cream but finished with plenty of cheese for richness.

40 minutes

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Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

Golden pan-fried chicken sits on top of a glossy, creamy tomato sauce infused with smoky chorizo, finished with just enough lemon to keep everything rich but balanced.

40 minutes

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Chicken Ragu

Chicken thighs are slowly braised with pancetta, white wine and herbs until meltingly tender, then shredded into the luscious, flavor packed sauce. Perfect with pappardelle pasta.

2 hours 20 minutes

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White plate with fettuccine pasta in a creamy chicken bacon sauce. Fork resting into pasta.

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta

Crispy bacon, juicy chicken, and a silky parmesan cream sauce come together to make a dinner that feels indulgent but is completely weeknight friendly.

40 minutes

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Chicken Gnocchi Soup

And for a night when you’d rather have soup, this one has tender shredded chicken and pillowy gnocchi in a herby broth. Crusty bread for dunking is highly encouraged.

50 minutes

Make This Recipe

Tips for the best chicken pasta

Try chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless thighs have more flavor than breasts and are more forgiving if you cook them a little longer. I love them for recipes where the chicken is cut into bite-sized pieces.
Give the chicken a light dusting of flour. When you’re pan-searing chicken, a little flour helps give it a golden crust. Shake off the excess before it goes into the pan.
Give the chicken room to brown. Pat it dry first and cook it in a single layer. If the pan is crowded, cook it in batches so it browns instead of steaming.
Use heavy cream for creamy sauces. It's the most stable cream for cooking. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer and add a splash of pasta water if it gets thicker than you’d like.
Scoop out a cup of pasta water before draining. You probably won’t need it all, but a splash of that starchy water helps bring the sauce together. I like to leave the sauce a little looser in the pan because it thickens as it sits.
Finish the pasta in the sauce. For stovetop pasta dishes, cook dried pasta for about a minute less than the package says, then let it finish in the sauce. Toss it well so every bite gets coated.