UntrainedChef
One Pot Chicken and Pasta - one-pot, chicken recipe

One Pot Chicken and Pasta

40 min
2 portions

Everything goes in one pot — chicken, pasta, tomatoes, done. Big hit with kids and adults alike, and barely any washing up.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cut the chicken thigh fillets into smaller pieces, then fry them in a large pot with the neutral oil until browned.

  2. 2

    Slice the onion into thin rings and grate the garlic on a fine grater.

  3. 3

    Add the onion, garlic, penne, canned tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, dried oregano, and chili flakes to the pot with the chicken.

  4. 4

    Pour in the water and add the chicken stock cubes — using boiling water here will speed things up.

  5. 5

    Put the lid on and bring it to a boil, then let it simmer for 10–12 minutes until the pasta is cooked through, or follow the time on the pasta package. Stir a few times while it cooks.

  6. 6

    Pull the pot off the heat and stir in the grated cheese and spinach. Add the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roughly chop the basil leaves and scatter them over the top along with the parmesan before serving.

Per average serving

1.3k
Calories
kcal
68.4
Protein
g
122.6
Carbs
g
59.4
Fat
g
9.7g
Fiber
18.7g
Sugar
12764mg
Sodium

Tips from the kitchen

  • Brown the chicken properly before anything else goes in. Give the pieces room and don't stir too soon, those browned bits at the bottom flavor the whole pot.
  • The pasta cooks in the liquid, so keep stirring every few minutes. Penne loves to sink and stick to the bottom of the pot, and once it catches it's hard to fix.
  • Taste a piece of penne at the 10 minute mark before you trust it. The water amount can vary with your pot, so if it looks dry but the pasta isn't done, splash in a little more hot water.
  • Stir the cheese and spinach in off the heat. The spinach wilts in the residual warmth and the cheese stays creamy instead of going stringy.
  • Grate the garlic straight into the pot so it almost melts in. No raw garlic bite that way.

Ways to vary it

  • Swap the penne for fusilli or rigatoni if that's what's in the cupboard. Just check the package time, since thicker shapes might need a couple extra minutes.
  • For a bit more heat, double the chili flakes. For a milder version that kids will eat, leave them out entirely.
  • Stir in a spoon of pesto at the end instead of the basil and parmesan if you're short on fresh herbs.

Storage & leftovers

Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. The pasta soaks up liquid as it sits, so reheat gently in a pot with a splash of water to loosen it back up. It freezes okay but the pasta goes a bit soft, so I'd eat it fresh if you can.

What to serve with it

A green salad with a sharp vinegar dressing cuts through the tomato nicely. Some garlic bread on the side never hurts either.

UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 24 April 2026 · Updated 11 July 2026

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