Creamy Peri-Peri Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken breast (diced)
• 250 g pasta (dry weight, such as penne or fusilli)
• 125 g peri-peri sauce (such as Nando's)
• 100 g light cream cheese
• 100 ml chicken stock
• 3 garlic (cloves, minced)
• 1 onion (finely diced)
• 1 bell pepper (diced)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving a small amount of pasta water if needed.

2. 2

   While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken breast and season with salt, pepper, paprika, and dried oregano. Sauté until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

3. 3

   In the same skillet, add the diced onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

4. 4

   Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for another 60 seconds until fragrant.

5. 5

   Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the peri-peri sauce, chicken stock, and light cream cheese. Whisk or stir constantly until the cream cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and simmering.

6. 6

   Add the cooked chicken and cooked pasta back into the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat everything in the creamy peri-peri sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.

7. 7

   Serve immediately or portion into containers for meal prep.

Notes

This recipe is excellent for meal prep and stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat with a tiny splash of water to loosen the sauce. Each serving provides approximately 500 calories and 44g of protein.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• high-protein
• low-calorie
• meal-prep
• pasta
• chicken
• spicy