One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Daniela Apostol · This post may contain affiliate links · 35 Comments

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One-Pot LeftoverRoastChicken Pasta, a quick and easy chicken dinner recipe for the whole family. Transform your leftovers into a spectacular dish that will have everybody asking for seconds. It's cheesy, it's delicious, a great midweek dinner no matter the season.

One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta - My Gorgeous Recipes (1)

Roast Chicken always makes its way on our table whenever there is a big celebration. And on most days when we fancy a little feast without breaking the bank. It's quicker to cook than any other meat, it's easy, and kids rarely say no to it. Plus, it's proper delicious.

But, as it happens, a whole chicken rarely gets to be eaten up, and leftovers are inevitable. No need to waste all that excellent roast, especially when the good old pasta can come to the rescue.

Pasta is another dish that disappears quickly with us. It's the ultimate comfort food no matter how you cook it. And you only need a few simple ingredients to make it into a fabulous quick dinner.

My leftover chicken pasta is made in one pot, which means less mess, less stress. And it's ready in well under 30 minutes. It can't get any better than that! If you like one pot recipes, why not check my One-Pot Orzo with Bacon and Peas or my One-Pot Ground Beef Pasta?

Jump to:
  • STEP-BY-STEP photos and instructions
  • Variations
  • Expert tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Other leftover chicken recipes
  • One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta
One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta - My Gorgeous Recipes (2)

STEP-BY-STEP photos and instructions

Since the chicken is already cooked, all we have to worry about is making the tomato sauce. Nothing fancy, super simple, this tomato sauce is the easiest to make, and also super delicious.

You add a jar of ready-made sauce if you wish, but making your own sauce is well worth it, plus you know for sure it's sugar free, and a lot better.

  • sautee the onion and garlic, add the chopped tomatoes, and leave to cook for 3-4 minutes until some of the liquid is reduced
  • add Italian herbs, or any dried herbs you like with a sauce, and that's your sauce done

Now, all that's left is adding the leftover chicken, which I just shredded roughly, but you can also chop it if you like.

  • In goes the pasta too, with either water or chicken broth.
One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta - My Gorgeous Recipes (3)
  • Cover the pan with a lid and leave to cook until the liquid is absorbed, and the pasta is cooked through.

If you like your pasta cooked really well, add some more liquid if that's already been absorbed.

  • Add the parmesan, season to taste, and add plenty of fresh parsley, or basil. And that's our fabulous chicken pasta done!
One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta - My Gorgeous Recipes (4)

Variations

Use any leftover meat you have from your Sunday roast, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other celebration - they usually equal plenty of leftovers.

This easy one-pot pasta can be made with any of these: leftover ham, leftover lamb, leftover beef, leftover turkey, leftover pork, or any other leftover roast you have. Or even a combination of the above.

Expert tips

By all means, you can cook the meat if you don't happen to have leftovers, just cook it separately, before adding it to the pan, and follow the exactly same steps afterwards.

It's an easy dish that kids love, my little girls really liked it, and were super happy to have a large portion. And trust me, I know what fussy kids are like!

Recipe FAQs

Can you reheat cooked cold chicken?

Yes, you can. Just make sure that you leave the meat to cool completely before refrigerating, and that it is stored in an airtight container or a foil. Once you add it to the dish, make sure it's heated well, and there are no cold spots in the middle.

Can I freeze cooked pasta?

I don't like freezing pasta, as once reheated, the texture changes and it becomes mushy. I prefer to cook fresh pasta every single time I need it.

Other leftover chicken recipes

  • Green Bean Stew with Leftover Chicken
  • Leftover Roast Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Leftover Chicken Tikka Masala
One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta - My Gorgeous Recipes (8)

If you’ve liked myONE-POT LEFTOVER ROAST CHICKEN PASTA or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can alsoFOLLOW MEonFACEBOOK, andPINTERESTto see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta - My Gorgeous Recipes (9)

One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta

One-Pot LeftoverRoastChicken Pasta, a quick and easy chicken dinner recipe for the whole family. Transform your leftovers into a spectacular dish that will have everybody asking for seconds. It's cheesy, it's delicious, a great midweek dinner no matter the season.

3.81 from 372 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: International

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Daniela Apostol

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400 g, 13 oz)
  • 2 cups leftover roast chicken (shredded)
  • 3 ½ cups water or chicken broth
  • 2 cups fusilli pasta
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan
  • 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Heat up the oil in a large pan.

  • Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sautee for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is transluscent.

  • Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs and seasoning, and leave to simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced.

  • Add the cooked chicken, water or chicken broth, and pasta.

  • Leave to cook with the lid on until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked.

  • Mix in the parmesan, then garnish with parsley.

  • Remove from the heat and serve hot with more parmesan if you like.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Vitamin C: 5.3mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 1.6mg

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One-Pot Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you add cold cooked chicken to hot pasta? ›

Yes… you can. But be mindful of when the chicken was cooked and don't keep this longer than 3 days after the chicken was first cooked. Place any leftovers in a plastic lidded container and keep in the fridge until required.

How long is leftover chicken pasta? ›

Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheat well. Whatever you do, just don't microwave them! Reheat the cold Alfredo pasta in a pot with a splash of water over low heat. Gentle heat is the key to bringing this pasta back to life!

How to make leftover fried chicken? ›

Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 300°F. Carefully place a few pieces of room-temperature chicken into the oil. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the temperature of the oil. Cook until crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

How do you make pasta cold after cooking? ›

Do not rinse. If you are going to use the pasta in another dish, it is ok to put it in cool water to temporarily stop the cooking. This way you can handle them to put in a dish like lasagna. If you are making a cold pasta salad, you would use cold water or just let it cool after making.

Should pasta be added to hot or cold water? ›

The best way to cook pasta is to heat water in a cooking pot until you see bubbles at the bottom, then add salt and then add pasta, stir occasionally. Boiling cooking water is for lazy cooks who don't want to stir all the time and cold water cooking is for soaking the pasta when you are low on heating fuel.

When not to eat leftover pasta? ›

Properly stored, cooked spaghetti will last for three to five days in the refrigerator. How long can cooked spaghetti be left at room temperature? Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F; cooked spaghetti should be discarded if left out for more than two hours at room temp.

Can I eat week old chicken pasta? ›

How long do leftovers last? According to the FDA Food Code, all perishable foods that are opened or prepared should be thrown out after 7 days, maximum. No leftovers should survive in your fridge for longer than that.

Can you eat 4 day old chicken pasta? ›

USDA recommends using cooked chicken within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.

How do you make leftover chicken taste fresh? ›

That's right: Skip the microwave!
  1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F. You want the oven to heat up fully before you attempt to reheat the chicken. ...
  2. Step 2: Fit a wire rack over a baking sheet. Take your chicken out of the fridge; let it come to room temp. ...
  3. Step 3: Bake for 15 minutes.
Mar 21, 2021

Can you cook cold cooked chicken? ›

In short, yes, you can, which is great news for those who hate waste. However, when re-heating any type of poultry you need to be careful that you don't undercook it. You must ensure that the reheated meat reaches a temperature of at least 75°C in the middle.

Is it OK to cook cold chicken? ›

Here are common mistakes people make when prepping and cooking this popular poultry and the correct way to do them. Don't: Cook cold chicken straight from the fridge. Ice-cold chicken straight from the fridge doesn't cook as evenly as room-temperature meat.

Is it OK to have cold cooked chicken? ›

Yes, it is possible to consume cold chicken. Cold chicken is a healthy, nutritious, and flavorful supplement to most diets as long as it is thoroughly cooked before putting into the fridge and preserved at the right cold storage temperature.

Can you put cold chicken in hot water? ›

No, meat and poultry should not be thawed in hot water.

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