Okay, Let’s Talk Comfort Food: Creamy Ricotta Chicken Pasta!
Right, let me tell you about this Creamy Ricotta Chicken Pasta. There are nights, you know? When you get home, kick off your shoes, and the thought of spending hours cooking feels… well, frankly rubbish. I remember one particularly drizzly Tuesday, staring into the fridge, thinking ‘what on earth can I make that’s quick but also feels like a hug in a bowl?’ And bam, the leftover ricotta tub stared back. This recipe was born form sheer desperation and maybe a little bit of genius, if I do say so myself. It’s become a real staple now.
Why You’ll Probably Make This Again Next Week
Honestly? I make this when I need something seriously comforting *fast*. My family goes absolutely bananas for it because it’s cheesy, creamy, but doesn’t feel heavy like some cream sauces can (thanks, ricotta!). It’s brilliant for using up leftover cooked chicken, like form a Sunday roast. And it feels kinda fancy even though it’s ridiculously simple. Plus, who doesn’t love a good pasta dish? It just hits different after a long day. I used to struggle getting creamy sauces right without them being claggy, but this method? Pretty foolproof.
What You’ll Need (Give or Take)
- Pasta: About 350-400g. I like rigatoni or penne, something sturdy that holds the sauce. Honestly, use whatever shape makes you happy. My Nonna swore by De Cecco pasta, which you can find here, but any decent brand works fine.
- Olive Oil: A good glug for the pan.
- Garlic: 2-3 cloves, minced. Or more, I won’t judge. I usually use the pre minced stuff from a jar when I’m feeling lazy.
- Cooked Chicken: About 2 cups, shredded or chopped. Rotisserie chicken is your best friend here!
- Ricotta Cheese: Around 250g (about 1 cup). Whole milk ricotta gives the best flavour and texture, trust me on this one.
- Parmesan Cheese: A generous handful (maybe 1/2 cup?), finely grated, plus more for serving.
- Pasta Water: The secret ingredient! About 1 cup reserved.
- Salt and Black Pepper: To taste. Don’t be shy with the pepper.
- Optional extras: Red pepper flakes for a kick, a handful of baby spinach wilted in at the end, maybe some frozen peas chucked in with the pasta for the last few mins? Sun dried tomatoes are nice too.
Right Then, Let’s Get Cooking!
- Cook the Pasta: Get a big pot of water boiling. Salt it generously – like the sea! Cook your pasta according to package directions, maybe a minute *less* than al dente, since it’ll cook a bit more in the sauce. HUGE tip: Before draining, scoop out at least a cup, probably more like 1.5 cups, of that starchy pasta water. Set it aside. This stuff is liquid gold. Then drain the pasta.
- Sauté the Garlic: While the pasta’s cooking, get a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add a glug of olive oil. Once it’s shimmering slightly, toss in the minced garlic. Stir it around for maybe 30 seconds to a minute until it smells amazing. Please don’t let it burn! Burnt garlic is just sad. If you’re adding red pepper flakes, throw them in now too.
- Warm the Chicken: Add the cooked chicken to the pan. Just stir it around for a couple of minutes to warm it through.
- The Creamy Bit: Turn the heat down low. Really low. Now, add the ricotta to the skillet. Stir it into the chicken and garlic. It might look a bit weird and clumpy at first – totally normal!
- Sauce Time!: Okay, this is where the magic happens. Gradually pour in about half a cup of that reserved pasta water, stirring constantly. The ricotta should start melting into a creamy sauce. Keep adding pasta water, a splash at a time, stirring continuously, until the sauce reaches the consistency you like. It should coat the back of a spoon nicely. I usually end up using about 3/4 to 1 cup of water.
- Combine and Finish: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together really well, making sure every piece of pasta gets coated. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Let it melt into the sauce. This is usually where I sneak a taste for seasoning. Add salt and plenty of black pepper. If you’re adding spinach, toss it in now and stir until it wilts.
- Serve it Up!: Dish it out immediately. Sprinkle generously with extra Parmesan and maybe some fresh parsley if you’re feeling fancy.
A Few Little Notes From My Kitchen
Look, don’t stress too much about exact measurements here. Cooking should be fun! If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash more pasta water. Too thin? Let it simmer gently for another minute (but be careful not to overcook the pasta). Also, using whole milk ricotta really does make a difference to the creaminess; the low fat stuff can sometimes be a bit grainy. I learned that the hard way. Oh, and properly salting your pasta water makes a massive difference to the final dish’s flavour. Don’t skip it!
Fancy Trying Something Different? (Variations)
Sometimes I swap the chicken for cooked Italian sausage (casings removed and crumbled) – that’s mega tasty. Adding some sauteed mushrooms with the garlic is also a winner. I once tried adding lemon zest, thinking it would brighten it up… erm, let’s just say ricotta and a LOT of lemon wasn’t my favourite combo. Maybe just a tiny squeeze of juice at the end would be okay, but go easy!
What You’ll Probably Need (Gear Wise)
You don’t need anything too specialist. A big pot for the pasta, obviously. A colander for draining. And a large skillet or frying pan – big enough to hold the sauce and the pasta eventually. A whisk can be handy for smoothing out the ricotta sauce, but a wooden spoon works fine too. I love using my Microplane for grating parmesan super finely, it melts beautifully. But hey, if you’ve only got the pre grated stuff, it’ll do!
Funny story, my smoke alarm goes off almost every time I sauté garlic. Doesn’t matter if I have the extractor fan on full blast. My neighbours must think I’m constantly burning dinner. Ah well.
Storing Leftovers (If You Have Any!)
Pop any leftovers in an airtight container and stick it in the fridge. It should be good for 2-3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or milk to loosen it up again, or in the microwave. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! It’s just too tempting.
How We Like to Eat It
We usually just have this on its own because it’s pretty satisfying. But a simple green salad with a lemony vinaigrette is lovely alongside it, cuts through the richness a bit. And you can never go wrong with some crusty bread or maybe some easy garlic bread (check out this recipe from Simply Recipes, it’s a good starting point) for mopping up every last bit of that creamy sauce.
Stuff I Learned The Hard Way (Pro Tips!)
- Seriously, SAVE THAT PASTA WATER: I can’t stress this enough. I once drained all the pasta and forgot to save any water. Trying to make the sauce with just milk was… not great. Gloopy city. The starch in the pasta water is key to making the sauce emulsify and get properly creamy.
- Low Heat for Ricotta: Don’t have the heat too high when you add the ricotta. It can curdle or get grainy if it gets too hot too fast. Gentle heat is your friend here.
- Taste BEFORE Parming: Parmesan cheese is salty! Always taste and adjust your salt *after* adding the parmesan, otherwise you might accidentally make it way too salty. Yep, done that too.
Quick Q&A – Stuff You Might Be Wondering
Can I use low fat ricotta?
Well, you *can*, but I personally find full fat gives a much creamier, richer result. Low fat can sometimes make the sauce a bit watery or grainy. If you do use it, you might need less pasta water.
What’s the best pasta shape?
Honestly, whatever you’ve got! But tubes like penne or rigatoni, or shells, or even fusilli are great because they trap the sauce really well. Long pasta like fettuccine works too, though!
Is this recipe spicy?
Nope, not unless you add chilli flakes! Its naturally quite mild and creamy. If you want some heat, definitely add those red pepper flakes with the garlic.
Help! My sauce is too thick/thin!
Easy fix! Too thick? Stir in a bit more of that reserved pasta water until it’s the consistency you like. Too thin? Let it simmer for another minute or two on low heat (stirring!) so some water evaporates, or stir in a little extra parmesan cheese which will help thicken it up.
Enjoy the pasta! Let me know if you give it a try.
simo
Med
