Recipes · Dinner
Cheesy Chicken Penne for Kids (30-Minute Family Dinner)
Creamy penne, a quick homemade cheese sauce and tender chicken: the weeknight pasta that comes back to the kitchen with empty plates.
This is the pasta we make when the week has run away from us. The sauce is a simple cheese sauce made in the same pan you will serve from, the chicken can be leftovers, and the whole thing is on the table in about thirty minutes. It is mild enough for a four-year-old and comforting enough that the grown-ups go back for seconds.
Why it works for picky eaters
Most children who refuse "mixed-up food" will still eat pasta and cheese. That makes this a safe base to try one small new thing alongside. Start with plain penne, sauce and chicken. Next time, stir in a handful of very small broccoli pieces. They hide well in the sauce, and if a child picks them out, that is fine: seeing and touching a food is part of getting used to it.
Let your child grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the top. Children are much more likely to try a dish they had a hand in.
Making it your own
- Short on time: use leftover roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken, skin removed.
- More vegetables: peas, diced zucchini or spinach go straight into the pasta water for the last 2 minutes.
- Different cheese: any mild melting cheese works. Mild cheddar and mozzarella give the classic stretchy, golden sauce.
Storing and reheating
Keep leftovers in a sealed box in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add a splash of milk when you reheat, because the sauce thickens as it cools, and heat until hot all the way through. A thermos of warm penne makes an easy school lunch.
Cheesy Chicken Penne
- Serves 4–6
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 20 min
- Nut-free
- Ages 3–12
- Kid favorite
Kids can help: Grate the cheese (with a grown-up holding the grater steady) and sprinkle it over the pasta.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) penne, whole-grain or regular
- 2 cooked chicken breasts (about 2 cups), sliced or diced
- 2 cups small broccoli florets (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (480 ml) milk
- 1 cup (100 g) grated mild cheddar
- ½ cup (50 g) grated mozzarella
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- a pinch of salt and black pepper
Method
- Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling water until just tender. If using broccoli, add it for the last 3 minutes. Drain.
- In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and keep stirring until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 3–4 minutes.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheddar, mozzarella and garlic powder until smooth. Taste and add a little salt and pepper.
- Stir the pasta and chicken back into the sauce and warm through over low heat until the chicken is piping hot.
- Serve with the rest of the cheese sprinkled on top.
Tip: For a golden top, spoon the pasta into a baking dish, cover with extra cheese and bake at 400 °F (200 °C) for 10 minutes.
Allergens: Wheat (gluten), milk. Check labels on bought ingredients. Cooking with heat, knives and blenders is a grown-up job.
