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No Spoon Necessary

Seasonal Recipes & Unique Twists on Classic Dishes

Chicken Margherita Pasta Recipe

Published June 23, 2019. Last Updated April 3, 2020 by Cheyanne

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All the flavors of a classic Margherita pizza in cheesy pasta form! This Creamy Chicken Margherita Pasta is loaded with tender chicken, ripe tomatoes, garlic, basil and Italian seasonings in a creamy-dreamy ricotta parmesan sauce! It’s a one pot pasta that is easy to make and even easier to devour!

Overhead shot of One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta in a enamel pot garnished with fresh basil and diced tomatoes; with forks, water glasses, sliced crusty bread, and ramekins of salt and crushed red pepper surrounding the pot.

*Updated*

This post was originally published in July 2018. I’ve updated the post below to include more information about Margherita pasta. Plus, I’ve included a recipe video to show you how easy chicken pasta is to make! 

Hi there, friends! What are your thoughts on recipe mashups – like say, taco pizza or caprese hummus?

Personally, I LIVE for a good mashup. I mean, gimme a delicious two-fer all day, every day. In all seriousness though, why have just one dish when you can have two? Together. At once?! It’s nothing short of brilliant and spectacular if you ask me.

However, it was recently brought to my attention on social media that not everyone shares my love of mashups, and some people (or maybe it was just someone) think(s) individual dishes should each stay in their own lane.

So it got me thinking, and I want to know your thoughts! Team mashup or team no ma’am/no fun here? I’m certainly hoping you love a fabulous food mashup, because it just happens to be what I’m sharing today.

Angled shot of garnished Margherita pasta in a enamel pot garnished with fresh basil and diced tomatoes; with leaves of fresh basil and ramekins of salt and crushed red pepper blurred in the background.

Quick Navigation - Table of Contents

  • One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta
    • What is margherita pasta?
    • What is Margherita pizza? Margherita pizza vs. pasta?
    • How to make Margherita Pasta?
    • Recipe tips for the best Margherita Pasta:
  • One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta with Ricotta
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients
      • For Serving: Grated Parmesan, Crusty Artisan Bread
    • Instructions
    • Video
    • Notes
    • Nutrition
    • You Might Also Like…

One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta

Silky, al dente linguine and tender, bite sized pieces of chicken breast tossed in a creamy, cheesy sauce studded with juicy tomatoes, sweet basil, and pungent onions with notes of fragrant garlic and spicy pepper flakes. Dolloped with rich ricotta, this pasta tastes like a classic margherita pizza minus the crust!

But, the fantastic flavor isn’t the only thing that makes this pasta too legit to quit!

This easy, cheesy chicken margherita pasta all comes together in just ONE POT. Plus, it can be prepped, ready and on the table in 40 minutes or less!!

Basically, this one pot creamy chicken pasta wonder is perfect for hectic weeknight dinners, and it’s also elegant enough for weekend entertaining! In a nutshell, this margherita pasta is just plain WINNING.

Overhead shot of One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta topped with ricotta and garnished with fresh basil and diced tomatoes in a neutral colored serving bowl ; with a bowl of ricotta, sliced crusty bread, and ramekins of salt and crushed red pepper surrounding the bowl.

What is margherita pasta?

Margherita pasta is a spin on traditional Pizza Margherita. It utilizes all the ingredients and flavors from the classic Italian pizza – tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic and basil – and transforms them into a comforting, flavorful pasta dish!

What is Margherita pizza? Margherita pizza vs. pasta?

In case you are unfamiliar with pizza Margherita, there is a widespread belief that it was invented in honor of the Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. Pizza Margherita is a typical Neapolitan pizza and is adorned in the colors of the Italian flag – red (tomatoes), white (mozzarella) and green (basil).

This One Pot Margherita Pasta takes the same tomatoes and basil, but nixes the mozzarella in favor of creamy, rich ricotta and amps up the flavors with the addition of Italian seasoning, garlic, parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes. Plus, chicken is added to make this a more substantial meal.

If you love pizza Margherita, you are going to fall head over heels for this pasta version of the famous pizza!

Angled, up close shot of One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta in a a neutral colored serving bowl serving spoons inserted into the pasta.

How to make Margherita Pasta?

Chicken Margherita Pasta is incredibly easy to make. This pasta only requires one pot and can be ready in 40 minutes or less!

(Scroll down for the detailed measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.)

  1. Cook chicken.  Melt butter in a large skillet and cook chicken until golden brown, but not cooked through, about 4-6 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.
  2. Cook vegetables.  Add onions to the skillet and sauté until translucent in color. Add half of the tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add in the garlic, Italian seasonings and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the liquid.  Add the broth and half-and-half to the pan, whisking to combine.
  4. Add chicken and pasta.  Add the chicken back to the pan along with the pasta. Bring to a slow boil and immediately reduce to a simmer.
  5. Cover and cook.  Cover the pan and cook for 1-15 minutes, or until the pasta is just al dente.
  6. Garnish and serve.  Reduce heat under the pan to low and stir in the parmesan cheese. Remove pan from heat and stir in the remaining tomatoes and basil. Dollop with ricotta and stir to combine. Serve and enjoy!

Step by step photos of how to make creamy Margherita Pasta:

Overhead photo collage of how to make chicken margherita pasta step by step with written instructions on each step.

Recipe tips for the best Margherita Pasta:

  1. You can absolutely substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts if desired. Just be sure to adjust (increase) the cooking time in step one by a couple minutes.
  2. I highly recommend using fresh grated parmesan for this (and any) recipe. That stuff in a green can not only tastes weird, but it also does not seamlessly melt into the pasta and become silky smooth like fresh grated parmesan does. Just make sure you use the smallest holes on your box grater for this.
  3. I strongly recommend you continue to season this One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta with Ricotta with salt and pepper as you go. (i.e. season the chicken, then season the onion, the half-and-half mixture, etc.)  Pasta with creamy based sauces require a good amount of salt to really make all the flavors sing.
  4. The sauce will continue thicken after you stir in the parmesan, and after you add in the ricotta it will become incredibly rich and creamy, so do not be alarmed if it seems a little bit thin as you are cooking it.
  5. I always encourage you to make a recipe your own. If you prefer fettuccine to linguine, use that! Or, if you like your pasta with a lot of heat, use more crushed red pepper flakes. Do you like a ton of fresh basil, increase the basil to 1/3 or 1/2 of a cup. Just do you and make the recipe your own!
  6. For the best flavor, ditch the store-bought Italian seasoning and make your own! Easy homemade Italian Seasoning recipe.

Overhead shot of One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta in a neutral colored serving bowl with a hand holding the bowl and another hand holding serving spoons inserted into the pasta; with a bowl of ricotta and ramekins of salt and crushed red pepper surrounding the bowl.

Why choose between pizza and pasta when you can have both!? Creamy-dreamy, full of fresh flavor and easy to prepare, this One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta with Ricotta is sure to become a family favorite!

Until next week friends, cheers – to one pot wonders!

XOXO

Cheyanne

 

More easy pasta recipes:

Butternut Squash Pasta

Mediterranean Pasta

Arugula Pesto Pasta

 

Craving MORE? Follow all the deliciousness on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!

 

The best Chicken Margherita Pasta recipe plus step-by-step video👇

Overhead landscape shot of One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta with Ricotta in a enamel pot garnished with fresh basil and diced tomatoes; with water glasses, sliced crusty bread, and ramekins of salt and crushed red pepper surrounding the pot.
Print Recipe
5 from 13 votes

One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta with Ricotta

All the flavors of a classic Margherita pizza in cheesy pasta form!  This One Pot Chicken Margherita Pasta with Ricotta is loaded with ripe tomatoes, garlic, basil and Italian seasonings in a creamy-dreamy ricotta parmesan sauce!  It's easy to make and even easier to devour!
Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: basil, chicken, chicken pasta, creamy, Easy, fettucine, linguine, margherita, one pan, one pot, parmesan, ricotta, tomatoes
Servings: 4
Calories: 778kcal
Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Equipment

  • Large Straight-Sided Skillet or Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • 1 Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - sliced into ¾’’ pieces
  • 2 TBS Unsalted Butter DIVIDED
  • 1 TBS Olive Oil
  • 1 small Yellow Onion chopped
  • 8 Roma Tomatoes - seeded, small dice & divided in ½
  • 4-6 cloves Garlic - minced (SEE NOTES)
  • 2 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning (SEE NOTES)
  • ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes plus more for garnishing
  • 2 TBS All Purpose Flour
  • 2 Cups Chicken Broth
  • 1 ½ Cups Half-and-Half
  • 8 ounces Linguine - broken in half
  • ¾ Cup Parmesan Cheese - freshly grated
  • Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - to taste
  • ¼ Cup Fresh Basil - thinly sliced
  • 1 Cup Ricotta Cheese

For Serving: Grated Parmesan, Crusty Artisan Bread

    Instructions

    • Cook chicken: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large straight sided skillet, or Dutch oven, over medium high heat. Add the chicken* and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown, but not cooked through, about 4-6 minutes total. Remove chicken to a plate.
    • Cook vegetables: Reduce heat to medium low and add in the oil and remaining butter. Once melted, increase heat to medium and add in the onions and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in half of the tomatoes and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add in the garlic, Italian seasonings and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the flour and cook, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes.
    • Add the liquids: Add in the chicken broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly to combine. Bring to a simmer.
    • Add the chicken back to the pan along with the pasta. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is just al dente - Uncover the pan and stir once or twice during cooking to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
    • Reduce heat to low and stir in the parmesan cheese until melted. Stir in the remaining tomatoes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
    • To serve: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fresh basil and dollop with the ricotta. Stir to combine. Garnish with more basil, parmesan and red pepper flakes if desired. Serve and Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    *Serves 4-6
    *Nutrition information based on 4 servings
    1. You can absolutely substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts if desired.  Just be sure to adjust (increase) the cooking time in step one by a couple minutes.
    2. Cook the chicken in two separate batches if necessary to not overcrowd the pan.  Overcrowding the pan will cause the chicken to steam, instead of sear and your chicken won't get golden brown in color.
    3. The amount of garlic depends on personal preference.  If you like a lot of garlic flavor, use 6 cloves.  If you are garlic averse, use 4 small cloves. 
    4. I highly recommend using fresh grated parmesan for this (and any) recipe.  That stuff in a green can not only tastes weird, but it also does not seamlessly melt into the pasta and become silky smooth like fresh grated parmesan does.  Just make sure you use the smallest holes on your box grater for this.
    5. I strongly recommend you continue to season this dish with salt and pepper as you go.  (i.e. season the chicken, then season the onion, the half-and-half mixture, etc.)  Pasta with creamy based sauces require a good amount of salt to really make all the flavors sing.
    6. The sauce will continue thicken after you stir in the parmesan, and after you add in the ricotta it will become incredibly rich and creamy, so do not be alarmed if it seems a little bit thin as you are cooking it.
    7. I always encourage you to make a recipe your own.  If you prefer fettuccine to linguine, use that!  If you like your pasta with a lot of heat, use more crushed red pepper flakes.  If you like a ton of fresh basil, increase the basil to 1/3 or 1/2 of a cup.  Just do you!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 778kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 1188mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2080IU | Vitamin C: 30.4mg | Calcium: 511mg | Iron: 2.8mg

    ©No Spoon Necessary.  All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use any images without prior permission. Please do not republish this recipe. If you want to reference this recipe please do so by link directly back to this post.

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    Comments

    1. julie says

      February 17, 2020 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this tonight, the whole family loved it. Since I don’t like peppers, I used mushrooms instead.I live one pot meals and all your tips were great.I’m going to make your Italian seasoning for future recipes

      Reply
      • Cheyanne says

        February 23, 2020 at 12:41 pm

        Hi Julie,
        I’m absolutely thrilled your whole family loved this pasta! Your substitution of mushrooms instead of peppers sounds delicious – I am definitely going to try that!! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how everything went over! Cheers!

        Reply
    2. Karen says

      December 25, 2019 at 8:22 pm

      5 stars
      Directions were easy to follow. I adapted this easily GF & dairy free. It was amazing!

      Reply
      • Cheyanne says

        December 28, 2019 at 11:11 am

        Hi Karen,
        I’m happy to hear you were able to adapt the recipe to fit your needs! And, I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the pasta! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how everything went over!
        Cheers and warm wishes for a happy New Year!

        Reply
    3. Ellen k says

      July 22, 2019 at 6:53 pm

      Just made this and it was a hit, love one pot meals, I did make one addition, I threw in a couple of handfuls of chopped spinach. Delish,!!!!!

      Reply
      • Cheyanne says

        July 22, 2019 at 8:16 pm

        I’m thrilled you enjoyed this pasta, Ellen!! I love the addition of spinach – sounds delicious! I’ll have to try that! Cheers and thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how it went over!

        Reply
    4. Kelly | Foodtasia says

      June 26, 2019 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      Definitely team mash up! I love everything mixed in one pot. It’s all just so much more flavorful that way. This pasta looks absolutely irresistible! Our family would definitely love it!

      Reply
    5. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      June 24, 2019 at 9:11 am

      5 stars
      That video is making me drool! Is it terrible that it’s 9am and I WANT/NEED a plate of this pasta?! Delicious work my friend! Hope you have an awesome week!

      Reply
    6. Ben|Havocinthekitchen says

      July 24, 2018 at 9:16 pm

      5 stars
      I’m 1000% (even 1001%) for mashups! Fist of all, it’s just cool to have so much more options by mixing different things. Secondly, if you can get inspired by different cuisines/styles and get something awesome, that’s super cool. After all, all these cronuts, cruffins, and other “Frankenstein foods” were created by adventures (and very humble) people like you and I – maybe one day we create a new combo which will become famous too. And this pasta is 1000 (no 1001)% delicious. My cup of tea. I mean bowl of pasta 🙂

      Reply
    7. Geraldine | Green Valley Kitchen says

      July 21, 2018 at 9:54 pm

      5 stars
      I love one pot dinners, Cheyanne – so easy and good. And I am totally team mashup – I love experimenting in the kitchen and it’s a great way to try different things and come up with something different and delicious – like this recipe! Hope you’re having a great weekend.

      Reply
    8. Marissa says

      July 20, 2018 at 4:17 pm

      5 stars
      Agreed! I’m a big fan of recipe mashups – really, why choose just one when you can have the best of both! This pasta is truly drool worthy my friend!

      Reply
    9. Kelsey says

      July 20, 2018 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      One pot meals are the best for all those busy weeknights! This one looks so good!

      Reply
    10. Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says

      July 20, 2018 at 11:06 am

      5 stars
      Wow! I could eat this every day of the week. All my favourite s in one beautiful pot 🙂

      Reply
    11. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      July 19, 2018 at 9:11 pm

      5 stars
      I’m on Team Mashup! And this one looks amazing Chey! And who’s not up for a one pot wonder any night of the week?! Can’t wait to give this one a try! Happy weekend. Hope you’re staying cool!

      Reply
    12. [email protected] says

      July 19, 2018 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      My thoughts on recipe mashups are quite positive! And this recipe proves my case! WoW! To have everything I love in one pot seems too good to be true! But it is true! Lucky us!!

      Reply
    13. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says

      July 19, 2018 at 8:18 am

      I’m fully onboard with mashups. Why choose between two dishes when you can have both? Some people are just kinda crazy :). This sound AWESOME! I love Margherita pizza so I know I’d love this. Happy weekend, Chey!

      Reply
    14. Danielle says

      July 19, 2018 at 8:04 am

      5 stars
      I’m all about mashups. I think they’re so fun and creative! Like this recipe – I love it! It sounds incredible, especially with the ricotta cheese.

      Reply
    15. angiesrecipes says

      July 19, 2018 at 3:54 am

      Margherita pizza flavoured in pasta form sounds and looks beyond delicious. Carbs, fat and protein…all in one. I NEED this after weight training!

      Reply

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    About me

    Welcome to No Spoon Necessary! My name is Cheyanne - I am the blogger and girl behind the camera. I'm a culinary school graduate with a degree in culinary arts, and I have years of experience in a professional kitchen. I have a passion for seasonal ingredients and I believe anyone can create sensational food! Thank you for stopping by! I hope you stay awhile!

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