Okay, so let me start out this post by mentioning how I haven’t cooked pasta at home for a while now that we’ve been following a healthier diet.
That being said, this Goat Cheese Chicken Pasta was devoured in a matter of minutes by Dustin and me.
Oh, my, the creaminess.
I’ve always loved goat cheese on just about anything – salads, pizza, burgers, spoons…
So, naturally, if you added goat cheese to a creamy chicken pasta dish with some freshly picked rosemary from my garden, it’s a pretty safe bet it’d be a good match.
With my face!
Often times, I’ve noticed that, with chicken pastas, people add chicken breast instead of chicken thighs. Now, chicken breasts are totally fine to use and are actually a healthier (leaner) choice than chicken thighs. But, the problem this can cause is that chicken breasts tend to dry out when cooked, leaving dry, chewy chicken.
Now, when I eat pasta, on the rare occasion I do nowadays (sniff), I don’t really wanna deal with dry, chewy chicken. I want moist, delicate, flavorful, juicy chicken.
And I think I’m being pretty reasonable, here.
This creamy Rosemary And Goat Cheese Pasta is so amazingly delicious and satisfying, you’ll want to make it again and again. You’ll dream about the lusciousness and how you just want one more bite.
And the best thing is that it can be yours for dinner tonight in just 30 minutes (which happens to be why this meal makes a fantastic addition to my meal planning service, No-Fail Meals).
- 1 lb penne noodles use whole wheat noodles for a healthier option
- 1 tbsp PLUS 1 tsp. kosher salt to coat chicken 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs boneless and skinless
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter can use olive oil for a healthier option
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups milk can use plain, unsweetened almond milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream can sub plain Greek yogurt or Half-and-Half for healthier option
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary minced
- 6 oz goat cheese
- Heat a deep stock pot over high heat and add 1 tbsp. kosher salt.
- Once boiling, add the noodles and cook until al dente (almost tender, but cooked through).
- While the water is boiling for the pasta, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place the seasoned chicken into the hot oil and cook until well-browned and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side. Remove from heat and chop or shred into bite-size pieces, reserving the oil from the pan. Set the chicken aside.
- In a medium sauce pan, add the butter and cook over medium-high heat until melted.
- Add the garlic to the butter and cook for one minute, until garlic is fragrant.
- Add half of the milk, the cream, and the rosemary and stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and the remaining milk until smooth. Add this mixture to the sauce pan.
- Add the goat cheese and cook over medium-high heat until the cheese is melted, the sauce is thickened, and reduced in volume, about 6-7 minutes. The sauce is ready when you can draw a line on the back of a spoon and it doesn't run.
- Once the sauce is thickened and the noodles are cooked, add both to the pan you cooked the chicken in. Add the chicken and stir to combine everything.
- Cook over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes, until heated through and well-combined.
So yummy! Used dried rosemary, but still a lovely dish. Flavors blended exceptionally well.
Love this recipe
I’m going to try this with gnocchi!
Oh my, you just blew my mind, Rachel 🙂 LOVE that idea.
I bet this would be good with zucchini noodles instead of pasta (then you could eat it more often!) I might have to try it 🙂
I’m loving the idea of eating this more often 🙂