Chicken, pasta and kale enrobed in a lightly creamy garlic and lemon sauce and finished with a sprinkling of parmesan.
This One Pot Garlic Chicken Pasta is a quick and easy meal with minimal washing up! Ready in 25 minutes, it’s a great dinner for that after school/work rush or for a simple weekend lunch.

Overhead shot of a bowl of garlic chicken pasta and kale

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I like to make this chicken pasta meal when I’m having carb cravings (ha like all the time!), but can’t be bothered to make up a separate sauce.
It’s an easy one-pan lunch that uses up those leftover dregs of pasta in the bottom of the bag.
You can throw in extra veggies from the fridge if you like. And if you like to save the little shreds of chicken from cooking a roast chicken (I always save them and freeze them for chicken soup, fried rice and this meal), then it makes the best fridge/freezer made meal ever!

📋 What do we need?

Ingredients for a one pot chicken pasta recipe laid out on a wooden table with titles superimposed on.
  • Try swapping the kale for spinach, or even peppery rocket (arugula) – if swapping for rocket, just stir it in right at the end of cooking to wilt it lightly.
  • Swap out the chicken for cooked turkey or cooked chopped sausage.
  • Add crispy bacon, mushrooms, or chopped chunks of cooked chorizo.
Spoonful being taken from a pan of chicken, kale and pasta

🔪 How to make this Garlic Chicken Pasta

***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.***

  1. Fry a chopped onion in a little oil until soft, then add in 4 minced cloves of garlic and a good splash of white wine to deglaze the pan.
  2. Add in chicken stock (homemade stock or water plus 3 stock cubes), dried pasta and full-fat milk.
  3. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then add in cooked shredded chicken, cover and cook for another 7-10 minutes – until the pasta is almost cooked.
  4. Add in the kale and allow to wilt, then take the pan off the heat and stir in lemon juice, zest, grated parmesan, and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
8 images in a collage showing the process of making a chicken pasta recipe.

Serve topped with an extra sprinkling of parmesan and black pepper.

Bowl of garlic chicken pasta and kale with a fork in. Wedges of lime and further bowl of pasta at the top of the shot

This dish is absolutely ideal if you already have some cooked chicken, and even better if you have some homemade chicken stock too (although not absolutely essential). I like to roast a chicken to use for salads/sandwiches during the week, and then save a bit of the chicken make to make this meal.

🍲 More fantastic One-Pot recipes

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Close up of a bowl of garlic chicken pasta and kale with a fork in the bowl.
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5 from 3 votes

One Pot Garlic Chicken Pasta Recipe

By Nicky Corbishley
Chicken, pasta and kale in a lightly creamy garlic and lemon sauce with parmesan – all cooked in one pot! Ready in 25 minutes!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion peeled and diced
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 45 ml (3 tbsp) white wine optional – you can replace with water or stock
  • 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) chicken stock
  • 200 g (7 oz) dried pasta shapes
  • 100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) whole (full-fat) milk
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts chopped or shredded (about 200g/7oz)
  • 140 g (3 cups) kale roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 30 g (1/3 cup) parmesan grated
  • pinch salt and pepper

Instructions 

  • Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and heat over a medium heat.
    1 tbsp olive oil
  • Add the chopped onion and fry gently for 2-3 minutes until the onions start to go translucent.
    1 onion
  • Add in the garlic, stir and cook for 30 seconds.
    4 cloves garlic
  • Add the white wine and bring to the boil. Let it simmer gently for a minute.
    45 ml (3 tbsp) white wine
  • Pour in the stock, pasta, and the milk. Bring back to a gentle bubble and place a lid or some foil on the pan. Turn down the heat and cook for 5 minutes.
    600 ml (2 1/2 cups) chicken stock, 200 g (7 oz) dried pasta shapes, 100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) whole (full-fat) milk
  • After 5 minutes, remove the lid and add in the shredded chicken breasts, stir and cover again. Cook for another 7-10 minutes until the pasta is almost cooked through. Give it a stir a couple of times during cooking.
    2 cooked chicken breasts
  • Once the pasta is almost ready, add the kale to the top of the pasta and put the lid back on to allow the kale to steam for two minutes.
    140 g (3 cups) kale
  • After two minutes take the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and the zest of half a lemon. Sprinkle with the parmesan, salt, and pepper, then serve.
    1 tsp lemon juice, zest of half a lemon, 30 g (1/3 cup) parmesan, pinch salt and pepper

Video

YouTube video

Notes

Can I make it ahead and/or freeze it?
This dish tastes best when cooked and served right away. I don’t recommend making it ahead or freezing it.
Ingredient swaps
  • Try swapping the kale for spinach, or even peppery rocket (arugula) – if swapping for rocket, just stir it in right at the end of cooking to wilt it lightly.
  • Swap out the chicken for cooked turkey or cooked chopped sausage.
  • Add crispy bacon, mushrooms, or chopped chunks of cooked chorizo.
How to scale up and scale down this recipe
You can double or halve this recipe by sticking to the same ratios and cooking times.
Nutritional information is per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1171mg | Potassium: 623mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3595IU | Vitamin C: 48.6mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

This recipe was first published in Oct 2014. Updated with improvements to the recipe, new photos, tips, and a video in Feb 2021.

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

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Hi, I'm Nicky and I love to cook! I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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Comments

  1. This was absolutely delicious. I had actually made an appetizer with sautéd mushrooms and wine, and cooked the chicken in the same pan. This added a subtle yet flavourful taste to the chicken. 100% would do this recipe again and again.

    Reply

  7. I love one pot meals, they are so easy to create and always make delicious dinners! Definitely going to be making this chicken pasta. Thanks for the yummy recipe.. I love that you used kale especially!

    Reply

    1. It’s so easy Corina. It’s one of those ones that you make, and then you do it again 3 times the next week 🙂

      Reply

  9. Nicky – this pasta is just gorgeous! The colors are stunning – I feel like I’m eating with my eyes 🙂

    Reply