One Pot Cheddar BBQ Chicken Pasta with corn and peas takes 30 minutes to make and uses one pan for quick clean-up. Even picky eaters love this easy dinner!
It's been a little while since I posted a one-pot dinner here. We cut way back on pasta after the holidays, and we were practically living off of lower carb sheet pan dinners for a few months. But as much as I love those easy dinners, the weather is warming up, and I'm not a fan of cranking up the oven when it's hot out. Plus every now and then, I get a pasta craving!
This easy chicken recipe perfect for busy weeknights or whenever you want a quick fix dinner that everyone will love. Even my pickiest eaters will eat this chicken dinner without complaining. Actually, I swear that my kids will eat just about anything if I add barbecue sauce to it!
It's also a super simple recipe, and you may already have everything you need to make it. It's basically just chicken with pasta and frozen veggies in a creamy barbecue sauce. I shared this recipe originally at Somewhat Simple, but I made it again tonight so that I could share it here!
I've made this using both with cut-up chicken tenders and chicken breasts, so just use whatever is easiest for you. If you end up using more than a pound, you may have to add more liquid. Or, you can take some chicken out to save for lunch or another meal later. I do this a lot.
Really, this dish is very versatile. You can also use your favorite pasta. We happen to love penne pasta, so that's what I usually use. And, if you want less barbecue flavor, use about ½ cup of sauce and increase the cream to about 1 cup.
I also added some peas and corn to make this a true one dish dinner. But again, almost any kind of small veggies would work here.
How to Make One Pot Cheddar BBQ Chicken Pasta
One Pot Cheddar BBQ Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders, cut into cubes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups penne pasta
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup barbecue sauce, any kind
- ½ cup heavy cream or milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn
Instructions
- In a large skillet, season the chicken with sea salt, pepper and garlic powder, and brown the chicken in olive oil,
- Add the penne pasta and water, cover and cook on medium high heat, stirring frequently, until pasta is slightly soft and almost cooked through
- Reduce heat to medium, and add the barbecue sauce, peas, corn and heavy cream
- Stir in the shredded cheese, and serve
Nutrition
If you're looking for a quick and easy dinner, I hope you give this one pot cheddar BBQ chicken pasta a try.
Happy Cooking,
Shonda says
I must've done something wrong. Mine is almost completely soup. Any ideas?
Dee says
Oh, I'm sorry it didn't work for you. I've never had any trouble, and the BBQ sauce I use always makes it extra thick. I also let it cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed. I'll add that in the instructions.
Jessica @ Sprinkle Some Sugar says
Why have I never thought to pair bbq chicken with pasta?! This looks delish!
Catalina @ Peas & Peonies says
This would be perfect for dinner tonight!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That looks so good, the perfect comfort food!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
I just absolutely ADORE BBQ chicken, and paired with pasta? SWOON. Well done, lady!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
This looks so wonderful!!!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
I've never tried BBQ with pasta, but this is a winner! I love that you added the corn and peas too!
Jen says
We love these types of dishes for our busy weeknights. The BBQ twist will be a nice change for us to try!