Wondering what to do with that leftover roast chicken meat in the fridge? Why not give this easy leftover roast chicken pasta recipe a try.
Chicken, bacon, leeks, parmesan and pasta in a creamy, flavoursome sauce – it’s a comfort food classic that only takes 20 minutes to make.
If time allows, I will quite happily roast a chicken any day of the week. I love it way too much to keep it just for Sundays. And of course, there are the leftovers. SO MUCH meal potential. You’ve got sandwiches, salad, curries or a quick and easy chicken fried rice.
When a serious dose of comfort is required, nothing hits the spot like a bowl of creamy pasta. You know it’s true.
This simple pasta dish is one of my regular dinners for using up the remains of a roast chicken. It’s so simple to make and hits the spot every single time.
why you’ll love this leftover roast chicken pasta recipe
- Adaptable – this is one of those recipes that is very easy to adapt – throw in a handful of frozen peas, sweetcorn, spinach or cooked broccoli. You could swap the bacon for mushrooms or even use a tub of cream cheese instead of cream. Make the recipe your own!
- Quick and easy – this family meal takes just 20 minutes to make and the sauce is made in one pot.
ingredient list
keep scrolling to the end of this post to find a printable recipe card with detailed instructions!
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- one small leek or onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 350g pasta of your choice
- 125g chopped smoked bacon or lardons (you can swap for mushrooms)
- 125ml chicken stock (from a cube or stock pot)
- 150ml double cream
- 50g (or more!) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 250g leftover roast chicken, cut or shredded into bite size pieces
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
how to make leftover roast chicken pasta
- Place a large pan of water on the boil for the pasta. Once the water has come to the boil, add some salt and stir in the pasta. Cook according to the packet instructions.
- While you’re waiting for the water to boil for the pasta, heat the oil and butter in a large deep saucepan.
- Gently fry the chopped leeks or onion on a low-medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until softened but not browned. While you’re waiting, boil the kettle for the chicken stock and drain the pasta if it’s ready, saving a small cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Add the crushed garlic to the pan and cook for a further two minutes. Add the chopped bacon, turn up the heat a little and cook for about five minutes or until the bacon pieces are beginning to crisp.
- Pour in the hot chicken stock and let it bubble for a couple of minutes before stirring in the chicken.
- Stir in the double cream and the grated parmesan cheese. Allow to gently cook for about five minutes to ensure the chicken is heated properly. You should have a lovely creamy sauce.
- If you want to loosen the sauce, add a little of the pasta water that you (hopefully you remembered!) saved.
variations
- No double cream? Cream cheese works really well in this recipe – I really like the garlic and herbs Philadelphia.
- Like a little subtle heat? Stir in a tablespoon (or more) of sweet chilli sauce.
- Add a handful of cherry tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes.
can I reheat pasta with leftover roasted chicken?
Yes you can….but you need to be careful. It should only be re-heated once…and you must make sure the chicken is piping hot (with an internal temperature of 75C/165F.) Cooked chicken should always be used within 3 days.
To reheat, grate some parmesan cheese or mozzarella over the top and cook in an oven preheated to 180C (160 fan/350F/gas mark 4) for about 15 minutes or until piping hot.
looking for more chicken recipes?
more easy pasta recipes to try
Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta
This leftover roast chicken pasta recipe is creamy, comforting and delicious! It takes just 20 minutes to make and the sauce is cooked in just one pan - making it ideal for busy nights. The whole family are sure to love this.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 350g pasta of your choice - I think penne or Fusilli are good here, but use whatever you like)
- One medium onion or one small leek, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 125g Chopped smoked bacon or lardons
- 120ml hot chicken stock
- 125ml double cream
- 50g Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 250g leftover roast chicken, cut or shredded into bite size pieces
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place a large pan of water on the boil for the pasta. Once the water has come to the boil, add some salt and stir in the pasta. Cook according to the packet instructions.
- While you're waiting for the water to boil for the pasta, heat the oil and butter in a large deep saucepan. Gently fry the chopped leeks or onion on a low-medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until softened but not browned. While you're waiting, boil the kettle for the chicken stock and drain the pasta if it's ready, saving a small cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Add the crushed garlic to the pan and cook for a further two minutes. Add the chopped bacon, turn up the heat a little and cook for about five minutes or until the bacon pieces are beginning to crisp.
- Pour in the hot chicken stock and let it bubble for a couple of minutes before adding the chicken. Stir in the double cream and the grated parmesan cheese. Allow to gently cook for about five minutes to ensure the chicken is heated properly. You should have a lovely creamy sauce. If you want to loosen the sauce, add a little of the pasta water that you (hopefully if you remembered!) saved.
- Serve the pasta immediately with extra grated parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 771Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 952mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 40g
Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.
I am making this on Sunday….will let you know how it turned out.. I have all the leftover ingredients to make a comfy lunch for my guests.
I hope you like it 🙂
I made this a day ahead, covered and refridgerated it. I will add more parmesan tomorrow and bake it in a low oven heat. Before refridgerating, I had a taste and it was delicious. I used whole meal fusilli pasta and put everything you suggested into the sauce, chopped leeak and pressed garlic, lardons and the mushrooms, a teaspoon of chilli sauce and a handful of halved cherry tomatoes. I boiled a chicken last week, and then stripped the flesh, but added the bones and other bits to the pan of boiled water. I boiled the broth down by two… Read more »