This is where it all starts to pay off.
You’ve roasted the chicken.
You’ve broken it down into portions.
Now… dinner takes 15 minutes.
In Part 3, Chef Ian turns one portion of chicken into a creamy, comforting pasta using simple pantry staples — proving that cooking for one can be quick, affordable, and seriously satisfying.
Recipe Overview
- Dish: Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Pasta
- Serves: 1
- Cost per serve: Under $5
- Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients (Flexible by Design)
- ~100g cooked chicken breast - one pouch of the 100gm chicken breast from previous breakdown of the chicken story
- ~100g pasta (any pasta you have — penne, spirals, shells…)
- ~100g vegetables (see below)
- 100ml cream
- 50g shredded cheese
- ½ brown onion (finely diced)
- 1 tsp garlic (minced)
- Olive oil
👉 Vegetable Options:
- Frozen mixed vegetables (simple, no waste — what Chef Ian used)
- OR fresh vegetables from your fridge:
- Mushrooms
- Capsicum
- Zucchini
- Spinach
👉 Use what you’ve got — that’s the point.
👉 Optional finish:
- Parmesan cheese
- Caramelised balsamic vinegar
Method
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
- Bring water to the boil
- Season well with Olsson’s Salts Sea Salt
- Cook pasta until al dente
- Reserve a little pasta water
- Drain and set aside
👉 Your water should taste lightly seasoned — this is your first layer of flavour
Step 2: Build the Flavour Base
- Heat olive oil in a pan
- Add onion and garlic
- Cook until softened and fragrant
👉 Don’t skip this — this is where the flavour starts
Step 3: Add Chicken & Vegetables
- Add cooked chicken
- Add vegetables (frozen or fresh)
- Toss and heat through
Step 4: Create the Sauce
- Add cream and shredded cheese
- Stir gently as the sauce begins to thicken
Step 5: Bring It Together
- Add cooked pasta
- Toss through the sauce
👉 As the sauce thickens, add a splash of pasta water to loosen if needed
Step 6: Optional Chef Finish
- Grate over parmesan
- Drizzle with caramelised balsamic
👉 This lifts the whole dish — richness balanced with acidity
Chef’s Tips
- Always season your pasta water — flavour starts here
- Good salt = better flavour (Olsson’s gives a clean, natural saltiness)
- Onion + garlic first = non-negotiable flavour base
- Frozen veg = convenience, fresh veg = flexibility
- Pasta water = your secret weapon for sauce control
- Use what you have — that’s real cooking
Final Seasoning
Before serving:
- Taste your dish
- Add a small touch of salt if needed
- Finish with freshly cracked pepper
👉 Because the pasta was seasoned properly, you’ll need very little at the end
Skill Focus
- Building flavour from the start
- Cooking for one with flexibility
- Using pre-cooked protein
- Sauce control using pasta water
Final Thought from Chef Ian
“Seasoning isn’t something you fix at the end…
It starts right at the beginning.
Get that right — and everything else falls into place.”
Watch the Full Tutorial 👉 Here
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