Cottage Cheese Chicken Pasta

Cottage cheese can make a surprisingly smooth pasta sauce once it is blended. Pair it with Parmesan, garlic, and a little milk, then toss it with cooked chicken and pasta for an easy weeknight meal.

How to get a smooth cottage cheese sauce

Blend the cottage cheese with milk and Parmesan until there are no visible curds. Warm the sauce gently rather than boiling it aggressively.

Use cooked chicken to save time

Rotisserie chicken or another safely stored cooked chicken works well. Add it near the end so it only needs to heat through.

Cottage Cheese Chicken Pasta

A creamy chicken pasta with a smooth cottage cheese sauce, Parmesan, garlic, and spinach.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 300 g short pasta 10.5 oz
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken about 280 g
• 1 cup cottage cheese about 225 g
• 1/2 cup milk 120 ml
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan about 45 g
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 15 ml
• 1 cup baby spinach about 30 g
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 5 ml
• Black pepper to taste
• Salt as needed

Method

 

1. Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Blend the cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper until smooth.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the blended sauce and warm it gently without rapidly boiling.
4. Add the cooked chicken and spinach. Stir until the chicken is hot and the spinach wilts.
5. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Use reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is creamy and glossy.
6. Taste and add salt only if needed. Serve with extra Parmesan or black pepper.

Vegetable options

Spinach is quick and easy, but peas, broccoli, mushrooms, or roasted zucchini can also work. Keep extra vegetables fairly dry so they do not water down the sauce.

Reheating tip

The sauce thickens in the refrigerator. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or water and stir until creamy again.