Description
A creamy, comforting One Pot Rigatoni Alfredo with Chicken recipe featuring tender chicken breast, rich Parmesan sauce, and nutritious kale all cooked together in one pan for a quick and easy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Base
- 2 tbsp oil (neutral oil such as avocado oil)
- 3 chicken breasts chopped into bite-size chunks (roughly 550g/1.1lb)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 small onion peeled and finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
Pasta and Sauce
- 250 g (7 oz) dried rigatoni pasta
- 160 ml (2/3 cup) homemade or good quality chicken stock
- 480 ml (2 cups) whole/full-fat milk
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) double (heavy) cream
- 70 g (2.5 oz) Cavolo Nero kale roughly chopped
- 75 g (3/4 cup) Parmesan grated
To Serve
- pinch black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp Parmesan grated
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) on medium heat. Add the chicken chunks, season with salt and pepper, and cook for approximately 5-6 minutes, turning regularly until browned and cooked through.
- Keep Chicken Warm: Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon, place it in a bowl, and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Sauté Onions: Add the finely diced onions to the pan and fry gently for a couple of minutes until they become translucent.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook Pasta in Liquids: Add the dried rigatoni pasta, chicken stock, and whole milk to the pan. Bring to a simmer, stir gently, then cover with a lid or foil. Reduce the heat and cook gently for 12 minutes until the pasta is just al dente.
- Add Cream, Cheese, Kale, and Chicken: Remove the cover, stir in the double cream and grated Parmesan. Add the chopped kale and the cooked chicken back into the pan. Cover again and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the kale has wilted and the chicken is heated through.
- Serve: Serve immediately sprinkled with extra Parmesan, a pinch of black pepper, and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- To prevent the sauce from splitting, use gentle heat and add cream and Parmesan in the last few minutes. If the sauce looks shaky, uncover and stir to bring it back together.
- This dish tastes best freshly made and served immediately for the creamiest sauce.
- Reheating may cause sauce separation; add extra cream and Parmesan during reheating to restore creaminess.
- Cool leftovers quickly, cover, and refrigerate if making ahead.
- Freezing is not recommended as the sauce may split and pasta can become mushy.
- Reheat in microwave for 3-4 minutes or on stovetop with a lid over low heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
