Meat & Poultry Chicken Chicken Main Dish Chicken Pasta One-Skillet Cheesy Ground Chicken Pasta 4.8 (34) 31 Reviews Make this cheesy ground chicken pasta recipe for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve with a simple side salad and a glass of red wine. By Karen Rankin Karen Rankin Karen Rankin is a recipe tester, developer and food stylist. She is also a writer whose work has appeared in EatingWell, Southern Living, MyRecipes, Cooking Light, Real Simple and Food & Wine. She has served as a food stylist for many of those same brands and produces a series of videos for Southern Living called Tips from the Test Kitchen. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 19, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS Reviewed by Dietitian Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS Sarah Pflugradt is a registered dietitian who holds a Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Her extensive background in dietetics has made her a sought-after expert in family and youth sports nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Jump to recipe Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 6 Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts One-Skillet Cheesy Ground Chicken Pasta is the one-pot, no-fuss meal you need to make this week. This recipe calls for familiar fridge and pantry staples—no specialty ingredients here. It comes together in 30 minutes with time-saving choices like ground chicken and jarred marinara sauce. Sweet grape tomatoes and tender spinach are easy and nutritious add-ins, and the cheesy creamy sauce makes this totally crave-worthy. Keep reading for our expert tips on cooking techniques, smart ingredient substitutions and more! Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! To save on prep time, halve all of the grape tomatoes at once. Place them between two flat plates or between a flat plate and a cutting board. Gently press down while carefully slicing through the middle with a sharp, serrated knife.For the best flavor and texture, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead of pre-grated. Freshly grated cheese may also contain fewer preservatives.To avoid stinging and tearing eyes while chopping onions, try chilling the onions in the freezer for about 5 minutes or in the refrigerator before cutting. You can also cut them near a fan blowing away from you or wear goggles designed for cutting them. Of course, if you prefer, you can omit the onion from the recipe altogether, but we believe it adds delicious flavor. Nutrition Notes Ground chicken can contain white and dark meat, both of which can fit into a healthy eating pattern. Chicken is an excellent source of protein and offers several micronutrients, including vitamin B3, selenium and choline. Whole-wheat pasta contains more fiber and retains the natural nutrients found in wheat. White pasta is made from refined wheat flour, which has had the outer layers of the wheat kernel removed. These outer layers contain a wealth of vitamins, minerals and fiber. While some types of cheese can be high in sodium, mozzarella cheese is a lower-sodium and lower-saturated fat option, especially if you use fresh mozzarella—a better choice for heart health. Mozzarella cheese—and many other types of cheese—offers a wealth of nutrients, including protein and calcium. Sonia Bozzo Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound ground chicken 1 cup chopped red onion 1 cup halved grape tomatoes 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning ¼ teaspoon salt 8 ounces whole-wheat penne 2 cups unsalted chicken broth 1 cup marinara sauce ½ cup heavy whipping cream 5 ounces fresh baby spinach ½ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish ½ cup low-moisture part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Directions Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound chicken; cook, stirring often to break up the meat, until cooked through and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup onion, 1 cup tomatoes, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened and the tomatoes are breaking down, 4 to 5 minutes. Sonia Bozzo Stir in 8 ounces pasta, 2 cups broth, 1 cup marinara and 1/2 cup cream; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in 5 ounces spinach (in batches, if necessary), 1/2 cup basil and 1/2 cup mozzarella; cover and cook until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Garnish with more basil and 6 tablespoons Parmesan, if using. Victor Protasio Equipment Large, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven Frequently Asked Questions What type of pasta should I use? We use whole-wheat penne for this recipe, but feel free to use whole-wheat mostaccioli, ziti, fusilli, rotini, gemelli, cavatappi or any other short pasta. Shorter pasta is easier to stir during cooking and sticks less than longer pasta shapes. Make sure the pasta is cooked al dente before stirring in the spinach. How do you serve One-Skillet Cheesy Ground Chicken Pasta? This main dish pairs well with vegetable sides, including Balsamic & Parmesan Broccoli, Green Beans with Pistachios & Orange, Garlic-Parmesan Asparagus and Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Panko. Serve with crusty bread and a simple side salad to round out the meal. Can you cook ground chicken like ground beef? The process will be the same as cooking in a skillet or in the oven, but the temperature needs to be lower because you don't want to dry out the chicken. Ground beef has more fat, so it can withstand higher cooking temperatures. How should I store and reheat leftovers? Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator covered or transfer them to an airtight container where they'll be good for about 5 days. You can reheat single servings in the microwave on Medium power, checking at 1-minute intervals, or add some to a skillet and heat on Medium-Low. EatingWell.com, September 2021 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 410 Calories 19g Fat 38g Carbs 24g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Serving Size 1 1/4 cups Calories 410 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 38g 14% Dietary Fiber 6g 21% Total Sugars 6g Added Sugars 1g 2% Protein 24g 48% Total Fat 19g 24% Saturated Fat 8g 40% Cholesterol 95mg 32% Vitamin A 2533IU 51% Sodium 469mg 20% Potassium 831mg 18% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs. Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S., Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Jan Valdez, Jan Valdez Jan Valdez has years of experience working in test kitchens, primarily in research and development and product development. Her experience in the Good Housekeeping test kitchen in New York City launched a career in professional test kitchens. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines and Linda Frahm Linda Frahm Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines