Homemade creamy red sauce with roasted peppers and tomatoes, combined with tender chicken and pasta. High in protein with cream cheese and Parmesan. Perfect for meal prep and reheats beautifully.
High-protein
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Adapted from a video by Chef Jack Ovens
50g Protein Creamy Chicken Pasta That Actually Reheats Perfectly
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1
Prepare vegetables: trim and halve the brown onion, peel it, then quarter lengthwise and roughly chop; slice around the red capsicum core to remove seeds and pith; halve the cherry tomatoes; cut the garlic bulb horizontally in half.
2
Place vegetables on a parchment-lined baking tray, drizzle with 1 to 1½ tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast in a preheated 220°C oven for 35–40 minutes until softened and caramelized.
3
Butterfly the chicken breast and open it into two even fillets, then trim and slice into thin strips or bite-size pieces.
4
Place chicken in a bowl, season with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, and mix thoroughly. If vegetables are still roasting, refrigerate until ready to cook.
5
Place the roasted capsicums in a bowl, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit for 10–15 minutes to allow steaming, which makes peeling the skins much easier.
6
Boil salted water and cook 350g penne for 2 minutes less than packet instructions, then drain and reserve some pasta water.
7
Peel the cooled capsicum skins. Add all roasted vegetables except the garlic bulb to a blender, squeeze in the roasted garlic cloves, and blend on high speed until smooth. Thin with pasta water or stock if too thick.
8
Heat a large pan over high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and spread out all the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes without stirring, then stir and cook for another 2 minutes (total 4 minutes; chicken does not need to be fully cooked yet).
9
Reduce heat to medium, add the vegetable sauce, 120ml chicken stock, and 150ml thickened cream. Break up and fold in 60g cream cheese, grate in 40g Parmesan, and mix everything thoroughly.
10
Bring back to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Adjust consistency with pasta water if needed. Check that chicken is cooked through and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
11
Stir in 120g baby spinach and cook until wilted, about 1½–2 minutes.
12
Add the drained pasta and mix over low heat until everything is evenly combined. Add pasta water if needed to adjust sauce consistency, check seasoning once more, then remove from heat.
13
Portion the pasta into five 750ml containers. Top each with grated Parmesan and black pepper, and optionally garnish with fresh parsley. Cool for 15–20 minutes, then refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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