White Sauce Chicken Pasta

Pasta happens to be a comfort food for many. And when it comes to kids, the white sauce pasta happens to be a hot favorite. My daughter loves the white sauce pasta and we end up making this atleast once a week. She is happy having this for dinner and take it in her lunch box to school as well. She likes mushrooms and broccoli in her pasta along with small chicken pieces, so that’s how I generally make it for her.

The recipe I am sharing here is pretty simple to make. I usually prepare the white sauce with the vegetables and chicken and refrigerate separately. And cook the pasta and refrigerate it separately as well. This way, whenever I need, I just mix the required quantity and heat it up. So it really becomes one of my quick-fix meals!!

Few things to keep in mind

• Cooking the Pasta: The pasta has to be cooked al dente. This means that when it should be cooked, but still be firm. It should not be cooked to the extent that the pasta starts breaking when you mix it.
• Vegetables and Meat: I have used mushrooms, broccoli and chicken for this recipe. But the choice of vegetables and meat is as per what you like. You can skip the meat all together as well and make it a vegetarian pasta.
• Addition of Milk: The milk quantity given in the recipe may have to be increased depending on the thickness required for the sauce. Also, if you are preparing the sauce earlier and refrigerating, it will thicken further as it cools. So while mixing the sauce with the pasta, you can add more milk so that it coats the pasta well.

Recipe

Ingredient List

• Pasta – 250 gms (Penne, Fusili, Farfalle – all go well with this recipe)
• Butter – 1 tbsp
• Garlic – 2-3 cloves, chopped fine
• Boneless Chicken – 250 gms, cut into small pieces
• Mushroom – 100 gms (about 1 cup), cut into medium size pieces
• Broccoli – 100 gms (about 1 cup), cut into medium size pieces
• Flour – 1.5 tbsp
• Milk – 1 cup (may need more, depending on the desired consistency)
• Fresh Cream – ½ cup
• Grated cheese – ¼ cup
• Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning – as required

Step by Step Process

1. Boil the pasta in enough water as per the directions given on the packet. Add some olive oil and salt while boiling. Once cooked, drain the water and run some cold water through the cooked pasta, to prevent over cooking in the residual oil. Toss the boiled and drained pasta in some olive oil and keep it aside.
2. In a pan, add the butter and once melted, add the garlic. Fry till fragrant.
3. Add the chicken pieces and cook till half done.
4. Add the chopped mushrooms and broccoli and cook till the vegetables are done. There will be water released from the mushrooms as well as chicken while its getting cooked.
5. Continue stirring on high flame till most of the liquid is absorbed.
6. Reduce the heat to low and add the flour and mix well.
7. Next, slowly add the milk, little by little, mixing continuously, till a thick sauce is formed.
8. Add extra milk to bring the sauce to a thick pouring consistency. This will ensure that the sauce coats the pasta thoroughly.
9. Add the fresh cream and continue mixing
10. Next, add the cooked pasta and mix everything nicely, so that the sauce completely coats the pasta.
11. Add the grated cheese and mix and take it off heat More grated cheese and Italian seasoning can be added on top while serving.