Are you ready to hear the best part? Most of these chicken pasta dishes are ready in about 30 minutes, some even quicker. Even those that have a lengthier prep time have components that can be prepped ahead of time. If a recipe requires marinating chicken, you can do that the morning of or get a little help from the grocery store and use jarred sauces. You can also make swaps if needed. Instead of using traditional pasta, you can use your favorite gluten-free or low-carb noodles to make these dishes suit your dietary needs. These recipes will also show you that you don’t always have to cook boneless, skinless chicken breast. This roundup includes the gamut of chicken pieces and even a few you might not have thought of before—chicken sausage, anyone? A simple salad or your favorite roasted veggies will make these meals complete, though most of them are standalone dinners as is. Get ready to face some hard choices on which of these crave-worthy chicken pasta dishes will be the first you make. I’m warning you; it won’t be easy. Using tamarind concentrate is much easier than extracting the pulp from the pod, though you can go that route if you feel up to it. For more flavor, swap the chicken tenders for boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into strips. You’d be remiss if you didn’t turn leftovers into a chicken parmesan sandwich for the following day’s lunch! If you want to use a whole chicken, make sure to spatchcock it first to ensure it cooks evenly. I prefer to use kalamata olives here but choose your favorite. Just make sure they’re pitted! If it isn’t asparagus season, swap green beans for them.
