This easy and delicious Jamie Oliver Chicken Pasta from 15-Minute Meals is the perfect quick dinner. With tender chicken, smoky bacon, and a rich vegetable ragu sauce, it’s a hearty dish that can be made with simple ingredients. Top with parmesan for a flavorful finish!
Ingredients Needed
For the ragu sauce:
- 700g (24.7 oz) passata
- 1 large leek
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 courgette (zucchini)
- 3 red peppers
- Fresh thyme
- Olive oil
For the pasta:
- 320g (11.3 oz) fusilli
- 2 (150g / 5.3 oz each) chicken breasts
- 3 rashers (slices) smoky bacon
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 red chili (or half depending on spice preference)
- Fresh rosemary
- Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- Parmesan cheese (for serving)
How To Make Chicken Pasta 15 Minute Meals
- Prepare the vegetables: Wash the leek, celery, carrot, courgette, and red peppers. Cut the leek lengthways and place it in a food processor along with the other vegetables. Process until finely chopped.
- Cook the ragu sauce: Transfer the chopped vegetables to a casserole dish with 1 tbsp olive oil, and season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring regularly. Stir in the passata and let it simmer on low heat.
- Cook the pasta: Bring salted water to a boil in a large pan and add the fusilli. Cook according to the packet instructions.
- Cook the chicken: Slice the chicken into 2 cm chunks, and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken on medium heat, tossing regularly until golden and cooked through.
- Prepare the chicken mix: Finely chop the bacon, chili, and garlic. Add them to the pan with the chicken, and season with rosemary. Add bay leaves and pine nuts. Cook for 2 minutes until the bacon is golden, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
- Finish the ragu and pasta: Season the ragu sauce with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water. Add the pasta water to the sauce, then mix the pasta into the ragu.
- Serve: Place pasta and ragu on a plate, and top with the chicken and bacon mixture. Grate parmesan over the top and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- Chop the vegetables evenly: Make sure the leek, celery, carrot, courgette, and peppers are finely chopped and roughly the same size to ensure they cook evenly in the ragu sauce.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Cook the chicken just until it’s golden and fully cooked through. Overcooking can make it dry and tough.
- Reserve pasta water: Always save a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. It helps thicken the ragu sauce and makes it stick better to the pasta.
- Toast the pine nuts: For extra flavor, lightly toast the pine nuts in the pan before adding them to the chicken mix. This enhances their nuttiness.
- Season the ragu well: Taste and adjust the seasoning of the ragu sauce with salt, pepper, and a little extra thyme to bring out the flavors. Don’t skip this step!
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover chicken pasta cool to room temperature. Then, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Freeze: After cooling, portion the chicken pasta into freezer-safe containers. It can be frozen for up to 1-2 months. To thaw, let it defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Heat the chicken pasta in a pan over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Add a splash of water or broth to keep it moist, stirring occasionally until heated through.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 of 4 servings
- Calories: 575
- Total Fat: 9.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Cholesterol: 70.5mg
- Sodium: 276.2mg
- Potassium: 1111.2mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 80.7g
- Dietary Fiber: 8.0g
- Sugars: 18.3g
- Protein: 41.2g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Chicken Thighs
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Stew
- Jamie Oliver Italian Chicken Cacciatore
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Curry With Coconut Milk
Jamie Oliver Chicken Pasta 15 Minute Meals
Description
This easy and delicious Jamie Oliver Chicken Pasta from 15-Minute Meals is the perfect quick dinner. With tender chicken, smoky bacon, and a rich vegetable ragu sauce, it’s a hearty dish that can be made with simple ingredients. Top with parmesan for a flavorful finish!
Ingredients
For the ragu sauce:
For the pasta:
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Wash the leek, celery, carrot, courgette, and red peppers. Cut the leek lengthways and place it in a food processor along with the other vegetables. Process until finely chopped.
- Cook the ragu sauce: Transfer the chopped vegetables to a casserole dish with 1 tbsp olive oil, and season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring regularly. Stir in the passata and let it simmer on low heat.
- Cook the pasta: Bring salted water to a boil in a large pan and add the fusilli. Cook according to the packet instructions.
- Cook the chicken: Slice the chicken into 2 cm chunks, and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken on medium heat, tossing regularly until golden and cooked through.
- Prepare the chicken mix: Finely chop the bacon, chili, and garlic. Add them to the pan with the chicken, and season with rosemary. Add bay leaves and pine nuts. Cook for 2 minutes until the bacon is golden, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
- Finish the ragu and pasta: Season the ragu sauce with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water. Add the pasta water to the sauce, then mix the pasta into the ragu.
- Serve: Place pasta and ragu on a plate, and top with the chicken and bacon mixture. Grate parmesan over the top and serve immediately.
Notes
- Chop the vegetables evenly: Make sure the leek, celery, carrot, courgette, and peppers are finely chopped and roughly the same size to ensure they cook evenly in the ragu sauce.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Cook the chicken just until it’s golden and fully cooked through. Overcooking can make it dry and tough.
- Reserve pasta water: Always save a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. It helps thicken the ragu sauce and makes it stick better to the pasta.
- Toast the pine nuts: For extra flavor, lightly toast the pine nuts in the pan before adding them to the chicken mix. This enhances their nuttiness.
- Season the ragu well: Taste and adjust the seasoning of the ragu sauce with salt, pepper, and a little extra thyme to bring out the flavors. Don’t skip this step!
Jamie Oliver Chicken Pasta 15 Minute Meals