Dr Mobeus
Budget Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
Chicken thighs are the smart choice for budget cooking. They cost about half the price of chicken breasts, have more flavour, and stay juicy even if you overcook them slightly. Paired with tinned mushrooms (a store cupboard hero at 60p a tin) and a simple white sauce made from stock and milk, this is a proper creamy pasta dish for under a pound per portion.
The trick to the sauce is the flour – it thickens the stock and milk into a silky coating without needing cream. Use any pasta shape you have. Penne and fusilli hold the sauce well in the ridges.
Budget Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
Method
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and fry for 5-6 minutes until golden on all sides.
- Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Add the drained mushrooms and thyme. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and vegetables. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually pour in the chicken stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the milk and bring to a simmer.
- Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the cooked pasta through the sauce and serve.
Tips and Variations
Tinned mushrooms are cheaper than fresh and work perfectly in sauces. Fresh mushrooms work too – use 200g sliced. Add a handful of frozen peas in the last minute of cooking for extra veg. No chicken thighs? Use two chicken breasts cut into chunks instead.
