Discover the magic of one-pot roasted garlic pasta — a cozy, comforting recipe that’s as simple to make as it is delicious. You’re going to love the mouthwatering roasted garlic cream sauce!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- 7 Ingredient Meal: This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes with just a few ingredients, so it’s perfect for those busy days when you don’t have much energy to spare.
- One-Pot Wonder: With everything cooked in just one pot, cleanup is a breeze, leaving you more time to enjoy your meal and relax.
- Fresh and Flavorful: The combination of roasted garlic, tender chicken, and crisp asparagus makes this pasta a truly satisfying meal.
Garlic-Lovers, Get Ready To Swoon
As someone who’s always been passionate about cooking, I’ve spent countless hours in the kitchen, experimenting with flavors and trying to create the perfect recipe.
But life has a funny way of getting busy, and I frequently struggle to find the time and energy to cook.
I’m not one to shy away from shortcuts and hacks, so lately I’ve been grabbing a few “Ready Meals” from Fresh Market each week. For about $15, I get perfectly portioned proteins, veggies that just need to be cooked in their prepared sauce and served with the provided starch. They’re really delicious and I can’t recommend them highly enough.
One of my favorite meals is their roasted garlic chicken pasta. Unfortunately, it seems to be a favorite of a lot of people and its often sold out.
So I did what I do best — created my own one-pot recipe so I can have a warm bowl of asparagus pasta whenever I’m craving a delicious, home-cooked meal!
Ingredients you’ll need:
Penne Pasta: The ridges on penne make it perfect for holding onto flavorful sauces like this one. Look for pasta made from durum wheat for a firmer texture and a better “al dente” bite.
Chicken Breast Cutlets: Chicken breasts are a great way to add lean protein to this pasta recipe. I like using cutlets, which are cut thinly so they cook fast!
Asparagus: These tender, green stalks add a fresh flavor and subtle crunch. Look for thin, bright green stalks with tightly closed tips. You can also swap out asparagus for other green vegetables like broccoli, green beans, or baby spinach.
Heavy Cream: A generous splash of heavy cream makes the sauce so velvety rich! If you’re looking for a or lighter option, try swapping in fat free half and half.
Chicken Broth: I love using low-sodium broth in my one pot pasta recipes to add extra flavor to the sauce. You can also swap in vegetable stock or water for this recipe.
Roasted Garlic Better Than Bouillon: Because who has time to roast their own garlic? This stuff is basically magic in a jar and adds tons of roasted garlic flavor to any recipe your heart desires. Gourmet garden also makes a roasted garlic paste that’s wonderful, but it’s more difficult to find. Whatever you do, stay away from the minced roasted garlic sold in the shelf stable glass jar (like this) — it’s gross and will stink up your whole fridge.
Marsala Wine: Marsala wine adds depth and complexity, along with a pop of bright, acidic flavor. If you don’t have Marsala on hand, try using dry sherry or any dry white wine. You can also season the sauce with a little fresh lemon juice instead!
Flavor Tip
For an extra bright flavor, top the cooked pasta with gremolata, a combination of lemon zest, fresh parsley, and raw garlic.
How to make it
- Brown the chicken in a little olive oil.
- Deglaze the pan with wine and stir in the roasted garlic paste.
- Simmer the raw pasta, broth, and cream in the same pot until the pasta is al dente.
- Stir in the asparagus and cook until tender.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can prepare this dish ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but be mindful that the cooked pasta will soften when you reheat it. If you’re making this pasta as a meal-prep recipe with the intention of heating it up another time, I recommend shortening the cooking time by about 3 minutes so the pasta stays firmer.
Can I freeze it?
Sure! Just keep in mind that if you’re using something more delicate, like spaghetti, it will cook faster so you’ll need to adjust the cooking time.
Definitely! Leave out the meat and use vegetable broth instead of cooking stock. For extra protein, stir in a can of chickpeas (drained) along with the asparagus.
Add more chicken broth or water to the pot, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
Absolutely! Try it with turkey, sliced sausage, or even shrimp! Just make sure to adjust the cooking time to ensure your protein is cooked through.
Yes, but keep in mind that the flavor of the final dish will be very different, since roasted garlic has a much sweeter, milder taste. If you want to make this swap, use 3-4 cloves of minced garlic and sauté it with the chicken before adding the other ingredients.
More one pot pasta recipes
- One Pot Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken
- Sausage and Eggplant One Pot Pasta
- One Pot Sausage and Broccoli Pasta
- Easy Bruschetta Pasta
- Easy One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- 10-Minute Cacio e Pepe
Roasted Garlic Pasta with Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound chicken breast cutlets sliced
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons marsala wine
- ½ pound penne pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups water + 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon roasted garlic better than bouillon
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ pound asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until deeply browned.
- Deglaze the pan with the marsala.
- Stir in the roasted garlic bouillon to the pot and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the broth, cream and pasta and simmer for 8-9 minutes, or until the pasta begins to soften.
- Add the asparagus and simmer an additional 2-3 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened.
