Pasta is my top choice on busy days because it’s quick to cook, loved by everyone, and incredibly versatile. Today, I’m preparing a simple chicken and leek pasta that’s ready in just 30 minutes. It’s packed with flavor and has a creamy texture, without using any dairy cream—just pasta water and a touch of butter.
If you are looking into more easy pasta recipes for midweek dinners or busy days, then take a look at my recipe for chorizo and shrimps pasta or my orzo pasta cooked in a rich tomato sauce.
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Why you should try my recipe
- A simple and easy meal dish that doesn’t require any cooking skills.
- Ready in just 30 minutes.
- Great for midweek meals.
- You could use any type of short pasta you like.
Ingredients & How-to
To make this quick and easy chicken and leeks pasta, we are going to need some boneless chicken, pasta, olive oil, onion, garlic, leeks, butter, cheese, salt and ground pepper.
I’m using short pasta, like rigatoni or rotini or any other type of short pasta you have at home. For the cheese, I use grana padano or parmesan cheese which are both hard. Some other alternatives are manchego or kefaloturi cheese.
For full quantities check the recipe down below. So let’s get started!
01. We are only using a few ingredients, so the prepping takes about 5-10 minutes. I cut the chicken into cubes, dice half an onion and roughly chop the garlic cloves. I wash the leeks very well to remove any dirt and soil, and then cut them into slices.
02. Moving to the pot, I set the heat to medium before adding some olive oil. Next, I toss in the chopped leeks and onion, letting them cook for 6-7 minutes until they soften and shrink. Although the leeks may look like a lot at first, they’ll reduce significantly as they cook.
03. While the leeks and onion are cooking, I add the pasta to a pot filled with boiling water and some salt. I’m using rigatoni pasta but you could use any type of short pasta you like and have available at home. It takes around 12-14 minutes for the rigatoni pasta to cook al dente according to package instructions.
04. Back to the pot with the leeks, I now add the chopped garlic cloves and mix everything well. With a spatula, I move the veggies to one half of the pot. I add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the other half, and add the chicken chunks.
05. I saute the chicken for 4-5 minutes until it has a nice light brown color on all sides. Then I mix everything well, the chicken pieces and leeks.
06. I set the heat down to medium-low and add half a cup of pasta water to the pot. For seasoning, I just add a little bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper. I simmer the chicken and leeks for about 10 minutes, until the pasta is ready.
07. Before adding the pasta to the pot, I add about 2 tablespoons of butter. We are not using any cream or milk. The butter and pasta water are going to give us a nice creamy pasta sauce. Then I add about a cup of pasta water and the cooked pasta.
08. I mix the pasta well with the cooked chicken and leek until all combined, and turn off the heat. Finally, I add the grated parmesan cheese and incorporate it with the spatula. Now the pasta with chicken and leeks should be creamy and thick!
Tips
- Add about a teaspoon of salt when cooking the leeks and chicken. After adding the pasta and cheese in the end, taste and add more salt if needed.
- Cook the pasta al dente as it will continue cooking for a couple of minutes in the pot with the chicken and leeks.
Serving suggestions
We usually have this easy chicken and leek pasta with a salad on the side like an arugula salad with a vinaigrette or my couscous and halloumi salad, or a refreshing caprese salad.
Storage
All pasta dishes are best served and enjoyed while warm and fresh. If you do however have any leftovers of this chicken and leeks pasta then you could store it in the fridge and consume it within the next 2-3 days. Warm it up thoroughly in a pan or the microwave before serving.
FAQ
The best way to wash thoroughly the leeks is to slice it lengthwise stopping just before the root, about a finger. Then with the tap water running, gently separate the layers with your fingers to loosen any hidden dirt and clean with water.
Yes, you could freeze any leftovers of the pasta dish. Make sure it has cooled down completely before moving to a freezable container or a bag.
Pair it With Recipes
Recipe
Easy Chicken And Leek Pasta
A simple and light pasta dish with chicken and leeks, made without any cream and ready in just 30 minutes. Serve warm alongside a fresh arugula or Caprese salad for a refreshing meal. Enjoy!
5 servings
5 minutes
Ingredients
- 450gr / 1lbs chicken cut into chunks
- 1lbs / 450gr short pasta (1 packet)
- 2 leeks (4 cups chopped)
- ½ onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup parmesan or grana padano cheese
- salt & ground pepper
Instructions
- Wash the leeks well and cut into slices. Dice the onion. Roughly chop the garlic cloves.
- Place a pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add the chopped leeks and onion. Cook for 6-7 minutes.
- In the meantime, fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add some salt and the pasta. Cook al dente.
- Add the chopped garlic cloves to the pot with the leeks and onion and mix everything.
- Move the veggies to one half of the pot. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the other half.
- Add the chicken chunks. Cook for 4-5 minutes until it changes color on all sides.
- Add ½ cup of pasta water. Mix the chicken with the leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the butter and mix until melted. Add 1 cup of pasta water and the cooked pasta to the pot with the chicken and leeks.
- Mix for 1-2 minutes until all combined. Turn off the heat and add the grated cheese. Mix until incorporated.
- Served while still warm with some grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Make sure you clean the leeks very well to remove any soil and dirt between the leaves.
- Instead of parmesan cheese, you could also use grana padano or manchego or kefalotyri cheese.
- Add only one teaspoon of cheese while cooking the leeks and chicken. After adding the cheese at the end, taste and add some more if needed.
Storage
Chicken and leek pasta is best when it's freshly made and warm. If you have any leftover pasta, store it in the fridge and consume it within 2-3 days. Warm it up thoroughly before serving.
Nutrition Info (per serving)
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
