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This creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Chicken and Rosemary is simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner but elegant enough for a special date night in.

White pasta bowl with goat cheese pasta with shredded chicken and rosemary, garnished with chopped parsley
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INTRO

Goat cheese pasta sauce with chicken being combined with cooked rigatoni pasta in a large saucepan

CREAMY GOAT CHEESE PASTA

Years and years ago, I used to frequent Michael Symon’s former restaurant, Bar Symon, in my hometown. 

It was there that I discovered this pasta recipe. From the first time I had it, I was hooked. The goat cheese sauce was creamy, tangy, and perfectly infused with fresh rosemary, while the chicken made it hearty enough for a main course.

It’s one of those dishes that forces you to instinctively close your eyes and truly enjoy what is dancing around in your mouth. It was love at first bite and I knew I had to find a way to replicate it at home. 

Ingredients for goat cheese pasta with chicken and rosemary on a gray countertop

I expected to need a long list of ingredients to make such a gorgeous plate of food. I was pretty amazed that it actually consisted of such a short list of ingredients:

  • Rigatoni
  • Heavy cream
  • Fresh rosemary
  • Fresh garlic
  • Goat cheese
  • Shredded roast chicken
  • Salt and pepper

I know what you might be thinking. No, this isn’t a low-calorie recipe. But sometimes you just have to go a bit decadent, especially for a celebration or a date night in.

Heavy cream, chopped rosemary and crushed garlic in a white saucepan

HOW TO MAKE GOAT CHEESE PASTA SAUCE

The ingredients are not the only thing that’s simple about this recipe – the prep work is also a breeze. 

Sometimes I use leftover roast chicken, but you can make it even more simplistic by picking up a rotisserie chicken from your local market.

Whisk stirring rounds of goat cheese into cream sauce in a large saucepan

To make the goat cheese pasta sauce, pour the cream into a large saucepan and add the crushed garlic cloves and chopped rosemary. Bring the cream to a simmer and let it reduce by about half.

Simmering the cream with the garlic and rosemary in it infuses the cream with way more flavor than just adding them at the end! 

Wooden spoon stirring shredded roast chicken into goat cheese cream sauce in a large saucepan

Once the cream has reduced, stir in the goat cheese and chicken and let the sauce simmer until it coats the back of a spoon.

When the sauce is ready, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in cooked rigatoni pasta.

Freshly cooked rigatoni pasta in a colander

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS PASTA

The chicken in this Goat Cheese Pasta really helps to make this a dish that can stand on its own as an entree. I like to serve mine alongside a green salad (usually with homemade blue cheese dressing). 

If you want some bread, try making buttery Parker House Rolls or grab a loaf of crusty bread and make some Extra Virgin Olive Oil Herb Dip.

Two white bowls of goat cheese pasta on a gray countertop next to chopped herbs and baguette pieces

If I’m making this for a dinner party or a special date night, I like to wrap up the meal with dessert. Classic tiramisu would be just special and elegant, or you could go with something bright and tart like Lemon Cheesecake to balance some of the richness from the pasta.

If you love goat cheese, I know you’ll adore this creamy, simple pasta recipe! 

Overhead view of goat cheese pasta in a white pasta bowl alongside a gold fork
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Goat Cheese Pasta with Chicken & Rosemary

By: Jamie
4.39 from 57 ratings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 8
This creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Chicken and Rosemary is simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner but elegant enough for a special date night in.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 pound dried rigatoni
  • 1 quart heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 clove fresh garlic crushed
  • 8 ounces goat cheese
  • 2 cups shredded roasted chicken
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • 1. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a rapid boil. Add the oil and rigatoni to the water and cook according to the directions on the package, 10-12 minutes.
  • While you are waiting for the water to boil, pour the cream into a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the rosemary and garlic to the cream and bring it to a simmer – take care not to let it boil over. Allow the cream to reduce by about half.
  • Stir in the goat cheese and chicken and continue cooking cooking it till the cream coats the back of a spoon.
  • Thoroughly drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the sauce. Coat the pasta in the sauce and simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

Adapted from Live to Cook

Nutrition

Calories: 745kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 54g, Saturated Fat: 33g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 161mg, Sodium: 153mg, Potassium: 287mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 2073IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 134mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

4.39 from 57 votes (57 ratings without comment)

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103 Comments

  1. meri says:

    This looks really good! No baking too which is a plus.

  2. Casey@Good. Food. Stories. says:

    I’ve made a bunch of stuff from Live to Cook but haven’t tried this recipe yet – and my husband doesn’t need an excuse to eat mac and cheese as an entree, so he’ll be super pleased!

  3. Cassie says:

    I love rosemary with chicken and my mouth is watering at the thought of a goat cheese mac and cheese. This is my kind of meal!

  4. Christina @ This Woman Cooks! says:

    This looks so delicious and sinful! Can’t wait to eat it.

  5. Candice @ Sailing on Paper says:

    Anytime I see goat cheese listed in a recipe, I know it’s going to be delicious. Thanks so much for sharing–this would be a perfect Thanksgiving side.

  6. Kerry says:

    A QUART of heavy cream? Whoa…

    1. Joann says:

      I thought the same thing! Wonder how it would be with half and half substituted for all or part of that.

    2. Laura says:

      I found it to be a bit too heavy with all of that cream, but a really yummy recipe overall :)

    3. Deborah says:

      I made this last night, with 50% cream and 50% half and half, and it was incredible. I haven’t tried it the other way, but I now don’t think i ever would… in fact it was still so creamy, that next time I might go to 2/3 half and half. This is such a great recipe, and the fact that it was quick to prepare made it even better.

  7. Living The Sweet Life says:

    Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food!! I love this take on a family favourite.

  8. terri says:

    where can i find the holiday trio pack from Shenandoah Growers that is in the above text?

    1. Jamie says:

      Terri-

      Here is a list of some of the grocery stores that will carry this item:
      ACME
      Rouses
      Whole Foods
      Giant
      Martin’s
      The Fresh Market

      Many of these stores will begin carrying it late this week through Thanksgiving, then again as we get into December. Thanks so much for stopping by!

      -Jamie

  9. Stevie @ Moore Babies says:

    um… YUMMY!! That looks so tasty! Might just have to pin this :)

  10. Annie @ Annie's Cooking Lab says:

    Yum, this looks SO good! I love rich, creamy mac and cheese, it’s hard to beat on a cold night!