Thirty Minute Chicken and Pasta Recipes

With the insane variety of pasta available, chicken and pasta recipes can cover almost any craving. These two basic ingredients can be dressed up with almost any flavor combination. Many pasta and chicken recipes are fairly simple, but the best of the bunch get you out of the kitchen and sitting down to dinner in a flash.

Rosemary Chicken Pasta Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need:
2 cups cooked fettuccini (1 cup uncooked, 8 to 10 oz)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large, skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
2 cups Alfredo sauce

Place pasta in boiling water, and cook until al dente. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain pasta.

While pasta is cooking, pour oil, rosemary, Italian seasoning, lemon juice and salt into a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil heats up, toss the cubed chicken into the skillet. Let chicken cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The chicken is done when the juices run clear. Pour pasta and Alfredo sauce into skillet with chicken. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. When the sauce is warm, the dish is done. Remove skillet from stove, and serve.

Lightly Spiced Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need:
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon fresh, minced basil
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh, minced parsley
3 medium, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3 cups spaghetti sauce
3 cups cooked spaghetti (12 to 14 oz uncooked)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery seed, basil, pepper, salt and parsley to skillet. Mix well. Add chicken to skillet. Cook chicken, stirring frequently, for about 8 to 10 minutes. The chicken is done when none of it looks pink and the juices are running clear.

Turn heat under skillet to low, and stir in spaghetti sauce. Mix well. Let mixture simmer for 3 minutes. Remove skillet from stove, and let cool for 2 minutes. Add cooked spaghetti to skillet, and gently toss mixture together. Garnish with some grated parmesan, and serve.

Ranch Chicken Macaroni Salad
Ingredients You Will Need:
2 cups cooked macaroni (8 oz uncooked)
1 cup thawed frozen peas, steamed
2 cans cooked chicken breast in water, 6 oz each, drained
½ cup ranch salad dressing
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh, minced chives
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Cook macaroni as directed by packaging. This takes about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the pasta, and pour it into a large mixing bowl. While macaroni is cooking, steam peas as directed by packaging. This takes 4 to 6 minutes. Pour peas in with the pasta.

In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken, ranch salad dressing, vinegar, chives and pepper. Pour mixture into bowl with pasta. Gently stir everything together until chicken mixture covers everything. Serve immediately, or place in covered container and let marinate in refrigerator for a few hours first.