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Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm.
Today we’re dipping back into the blog archives to revisit one of my all-time favorite pasta recipes, and I’ve gotta say, I might be even more excited to share it with you again today than I was four years ago when I first posted it on the blog. Because that’s the thing about those recipes that you make, and re-make, and re-make again for the twentieth time — they collect all sorts of fun stories and memories with them along the way that make them feel all the more delicious. Right?!
This goat cheese pasta is definitely one of those for me. I have made it (or improvised “versions” of it by memory) countless times over the years for everything from dinner parties full of friends around the table, to solo nights “in” on the couch with a glass of cabernet and Netflix, to a spontaneous dinner celebrating a friend’s brand new job, to a quiet night talking through another friend’s break-up, to just a run-of-the-mill normal spring evening this past month — it’s just one of those comforting dishes that always hits the spot.
And without a doubt, one of the big reasons this recipe has become a favorite over the years is because it is ridiculously easy to make (and customize!) when you’re short on time. All you really need is some good goat cheese, and then we can improvise the rest from there. I’ll show you…
The original for this photo, circa 2012.
Alrighty. Well first off — as is my tradition when re-sharing old recipes — here’s the original photo for old time’s sake. I remember shooting it on a dark night when I was staying at my cousin’s house and was so annoyed that the goat cheese sauce wasn’t showing up.
Thisone is a little more accurate. Because lemme assure you — this pasta is saucy!!
And as opposed to many cheese sauces which require some sort of roux to thicken, or at minimum an extra pan to cook it in, this sauce can literally be whisked together in a little mixing bowl in just seconds. All it requires is a bunch of good goat cheese, a little milk, a little Parm, and then you actually just add in some of the hot pasta water to make it all melty, and then whisk it together.
So easy!!!
Then the rest is up to you! I tend to love adding in some asparagus and mushrooms this time of year, and maybe some chicken or shrimp for protein. But really, you can add in just about whatever sauteed veggies or protein (or lack of protein) you’d like.
Oh, and then I clearly have a black pepper addiction lately, but you can go a little easier on that if you prefer. ;)
But pretty much whatever pasta you make up with this sauce is guaranteed to be a winner.
So grab some goat cheese the next time you’re at the store, and hope that you enjoy making it! (And probably re-making it. And re-making it. And re-making it…)
You’ll love this savory Pasta With Goat Cheese, Chicken, Asparagus & Mushrooms recipe. It’s flavorful, comforting, and can be prepared in less than half an hour!
Ingredients
Scale
1 pound (16 ounces) pasta (I used farfalle)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 shallot, peeled and minced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 bunch (about 1 pound) asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces, ends trimmed off
16 ounces (2 cartons) fresh baby bella or white button mushrooms, halved
8 ounces goat cheese
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of generously-salted water, according to package instructions. Once the pasta is nearly ready, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and reserve it on the side (we will use it later). Then drain the pasta and set aside. (<– For ideal timing, I recommend adding the pasta to the boiling water around the time you begin cooking the asparagus and mushrooms.)
While the pasta water is heating, season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and freshly-ground black pepper. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes (flipping halfway through) until both sides are golden, and the center is cooked through and no longer pink. Transfer chicken to a clean cutting board, and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot pan, and add the shallot. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the asparagus and mushrooms, and continue sauteing for another 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
In a separate small mixing bowl, add the goat cheese, milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water. Whisk until combined.
Once the pasta is cooked and drained, immediately add the chicken, vegetable mixture and the goat cheese sauce to the pasta, and toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, you can stir in an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water to thin it out. Otherwise, serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and black pepper, if desired.
what I find funniest about food photography is how sometimes I look through the viewfinder and everything looks great and turns out great…and then the next day I can’t seem to take even a single mediocre photo!
Weird.
I love goat cheese to no end and have been eating it like CRAZY. Time to try it as a pasta sauce!
Yum Ali! This looks great! We like to melt goat cheese together with homemade basil pesto and then toss it with pasta and chicken and tomatoes. Perfect summer dinner. Hope to see you soon!
this looks fabulous – so many of my favorite ingredients in here. and goat cheese sauce!!? why have i never tried this?? can’t wait to give it a shot…and when i weigh 6000 pounds you’ll know that it’s because i started putting it on everything! :)
I grabbed some amazing goat cheese at the Farmer’s Market that I didn’t really have a plan for…but now I know what I’m making for dinner tonight! Thanks for an awesome (and quick) recipe!
I just made this dish and wow! The sauce was amazing! They didn’t have any asparagus when I went to the grocery so I substituted some spinach which I realize did make the dish a little heavier than I’d imagine it would be with the asparagus but still very good. Also, I think that you forgot to put the garlic into the “Method” piece of the recipe although it was in the ingredient list. I added it to the melted butter for the sauce and it was delicious! Great recipe!
Found this recipe on pintrest and made it tonight with rave reviews! I actually omitted the chicken, and it tasted very good, didn’t even miss it. Thanks for posting such an awesome recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was looking for a sauce JUST LIKE THIS and didn’t know it existed until I found this pinned on Pinterest. Had it tonight with sauteed mushrooms, onion and garlic and steamed broccoli mixed into the pasta – it was awesome. Thanks again.
This was delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
I used the feta instead of goat cheese suggestion (even though I love goat cheese as well) it was fab!
Made it for four people and we had to fight for the leftovers :) thanks again
I made this tonight adding sundried tomatoes and substituting jumbo shrimp for chicken. It was absolutely delicious. My family loved it, including my 10-year old!
Thanks for sharing!
Dina
I made this for a party earlier this week and I just want to say that this recipe was ah-mazing! Thank you so much! (except I didn’t know what to do with the garlic because you didn’t include it in the recipe… *pulls shirt collar*)
So good! Made it with feta instead of goat cheese and it was great. Couldn’t get all of the pasta in the mix (bowl was too small) so I had a little bit more sauce than was called for with all these ingredients. However, I think I cooked down the sauce a little excessively so it was perfect. This was the first time I’ve ever made a sauce from scratch and you made it SO much easier than I thought! Great recipe, thanks for sharing.
You already had me at pasta- but I love how spring inspired this dish is! And pasta water is the best trick for transforming just about any pasta sauce, it’s like a little miracle worker :) Pinned!
I have to ask, what kind of dutch oven is photographed in this recipe? It looks to be a great size and I’d love to know which brand & size you use and would recommend to others. Thanks! :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Jacquelyn! It’s this Dutch Oven here, and it’s actually in our shop as well! :)
I’ve read the recipe three times and still don’t know what happens to the chicken. Does it get diced and added with the veggies? It it meant to be eaten separately? Does it stay on the cutting board until it starts to attract flies and needs to be thrown away?
I’m going to assume it gets diced and added back in with the vegetable mixture. Wish me luck :)
Ah, you just add it back in on step 4: Once the pasta is cooked and drained, immediately add the chicken, vegetable mixture and the goat cheese sauce to the pasta, and toss to combine.
Could I substitute the milk for almond or coconut milk?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Sure, we think a neutral flavored almond milk/cashew milk/soy milk, etc. would probably be your best bet, unless you’re cool with a coconut flavor. We hope you enjoy! :)
My daughter would like to make this for her boyfriend for his birthday. He is gluten and dairy free. Would you suggest coconut or almond milk as a sub for the milk? She will have to do something about the Parm as well.
Thanks.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Joe! Yes, she could use coconut, or unflavored, unsweetened almond/soy/cashew milk. She could also use a vegan parmesan cheese (since he can’t have the dairy) — here’s an easy recipe she could try: We hope this helps! :)
This was my first recipe to try from the Gimme Some Oven site….forever ago. It is still my husband’s favorite of everything I make. It is so delicious, loaded with veggies, makes a ton and heats up beautifully for leftovers. What more can you ask for?!? Apologies for just now leaving a comment. #favoriterecipeever
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Awww, we’re so happy you and your husband enjoy it, Lindsay! Thanks for your sweet words!
Love love love this recipe. Made it numerous times now. I add 20oz of mushrooms, because yeah, I have an addiction to them. Lol. Wondering if you’ve ever froze the leftovers?
Was really great, but I thought it needed a little something extra. Added some sun dried tomatoes and that gave it the extra bit of flavor that was missing. Will definitely make again.
what I find funniest about food photography is how sometimes I look through the viewfinder and everything looks great and turns out great…and then the next day I can’t seem to take even a single mediocre photo!
Weird.
I love goat cheese to no end and have been eating it like CRAZY. Time to try it as a pasta sauce!
This looks incredible! I’m sure that creamy goat cheese sauce is just to die for! And we all need more 20-minte meals in our lives. Well done!
I love that my 2 favourite food bloggers know each other!
Woah! I love it! :D
This is incredible. I am printing out the recipe right now to make this weekend! Thanks so much for posting :)
This is right up my alley, I love, love, love goat cheese!
Cassie — How do I get a picture like you? I’m trying to get more “official” with the blogging thing. ;)
Yum Ali! This looks great! We like to melt goat cheese together with homemade basil pesto and then toss it with pasta and chicken and tomatoes. Perfect summer dinner. Hope to see you soon!
This looks delicious, Ali! Definitely something I could see myself making for me and my husband. Great recipe and combination of flavors!
I love goat cheese and my husband loves mushrooms…this is the meal that would please us both! Looks delicious :)
this looks fabulous – so many of my favorite ingredients in here. and goat cheese sauce!!? why have i never tried this?? can’t wait to give it a shot…and when i weigh 6000 pounds you’ll know that it’s because i started putting it on everything! :)
So pretty! I love mushrooms and goat cheese!
I always wonder the same! “where did the sauce go” :D
I grabbed some amazing goat cheese at the Farmer’s Market that I didn’t really have a plan for…but now I know what I’m making for dinner tonight! Thanks for an awesome (and quick) recipe!
This sounds and looks delicious. I will surely be making this soon.
You seriously made my day when you brought this over! It was wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
I cant wait to try this! I love all of these ingredients!
Made it, loved it! You’re right, the sauce just disappeared from the photo for some reason.
I just made this dish and wow! The sauce was amazing! They didn’t have any asparagus when I went to the grocery so I substituted some spinach which I realize did make the dish a little heavier than I’d imagine it would be with the asparagus but still very good. Also, I think that you forgot to put the garlic into the “Method” piece of the recipe although it was in the ingredient list. I added it to the melted butter for the sauce and it was delicious! Great recipe!
Found this recipe on pintrest and made it tonight with rave reviews! I actually omitted the chicken, and it tasted very good, didn’t even miss it. Thanks for posting such an awesome recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was looking for a sauce JUST LIKE THIS and didn’t know it existed until I found this pinned on Pinterest. Had it tonight with sauteed mushrooms, onion and garlic and steamed broccoli mixed into the pasta – it was awesome. Thanks again.
Hi! I appreciate the tips (when to add the pasta ), timing thwarts me so often when trying new recipes! I will try this tomorrow!
This was delicious. I used chicken broth rather than pasta water, does pasta water help thicken the sauce in addition to the roux?
Thanks for sharing.
This was delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
I used the feta instead of goat cheese suggestion (even though I love goat cheese as well) it was fab!
Made it for four people and we had to fight for the leftovers :) thanks again
Love the looks of this dish! Will have to make it while my daughter and family are visiting next week.
I have a question, though, I see a lot of receipes lately with goat cheese. Is this anew trend or simply a healthier way to eat cheese?
Thanks so much,
Regards,
jean
Thank you for the pin recipe!! Really good, a definite do again,
So light and an easy meal for any time!!
I made this tonight adding sundried tomatoes and substituting jumbo shrimp for chicken. It was absolutely delicious. My family loved it, including my 10-year old!
Thanks for sharing!
Dina
I made this for a party earlier this week and I just want to say that this recipe was ah-mazing! Thank you so much! (except I didn’t know what to do with the garlic because you didn’t include it in the recipe… *pulls shirt collar*)
This makes a ton. Definitely will make again. I hope the leftovers freeze well!
So good! Made it with feta instead of goat cheese and it was great. Couldn’t get all of the pasta in the mix (bowl was too small) so I had a little bit more sauce than was called for with all these ingredients. However, I think I cooked down the sauce a little excessively so it was perfect. This was the first time I’ve ever made a sauce from scratch and you made it SO much easier than I thought! Great recipe, thanks for sharing.
Definitely trying this!
Great recipe! I made with mascapone cheese and was creamy goodness!!! One for the cook book!
Oh no! Thanks for catching that typo. You add the garlic in at the end of the saute – I just corrected the recipe. Thanks for letting me know! :)
The goat cheese mushroom pasta was a mega hit! So good there was nothing left to take a pic of!
Thanks Laura! We’re so happy you loved it! :)
YEEESSSS!!! This is my kind of recipe. Goat cheese is ridiculously underrated, and I literally put mushrooms and garlic in everything, lol.
Thanks!
…and suddenly goat cheese is on my grocery list. Can’t wait!
I love all things with goat cheese. This looks delicious!!
Kari
Thanks Kari — we hope you enjoy!
You already had me at pasta- but I love how spring inspired this dish is! And pasta water is the best trick for transforming just about any pasta sauce, it’s like a little miracle worker :) Pinned!
Thanks Denisse! We hope you enjoy this! :)
Gorgeous photos!! I’d make this without the chicken for a perfect meatless Monday meal!
There is nothing better than pasta with veggies and fresh meat! As I said veggies I mean MY FAVOURITE veggies! <3
xoxo,
Anita
We agree Anita, and we hope you love this one! :D
Oh hello there! This looks amazing!!!
Thanks Sara — we hope you love it! :)
I love italian food. This is one more taste recipe. I love this blog! :)
I have to ask, what kind of dutch oven is photographed in this recipe? It looks to be a great size and I’d love to know which brand & size you use and would recommend to others. Thanks! :)
Hi Jacquelyn! It’s this Dutch Oven here, and it’s actually in our shop as well! :)
I’ve read the recipe three times and still don’t know what happens to the chicken. Does it get diced and added with the veggies? It it meant to be eaten separately? Does it stay on the cutting board until it starts to attract flies and needs to be thrown away?
I’m going to assume it gets diced and added back in with the vegetable mixture. Wish me luck :)
Ah, you just add it back in on step 4: Once the pasta is cooked and drained, immediately add the chicken, vegetable mixture and the goat cheese sauce to the pasta, and toss to combine.
Could I substitute the milk for almond or coconut milk?
Sure, we think a neutral flavored almond milk/cashew milk/soy milk, etc. would probably be your best bet, unless you’re cool with a coconut flavor. We hope you enjoy! :)
My daughter would like to make this for her boyfriend for his birthday. He is gluten and dairy free. Would you suggest coconut or almond milk as a sub for the milk? She will have to do something about the Parm as well.
Thanks.
Hi Joe! Yes, she could use coconut, or unflavored, unsweetened almond/soy/cashew milk. She could also use a vegan parmesan cheese (since he can’t have the dairy) — here’s an easy recipe she could try: We hope this helps! :)
What kind of goat cheese do you use?
Hi Jillian! We love goat cheese from Trader Joe’s (we buy it in a log). We hope you enjoy!
What an incredible meal. My boyfriend thought he was at a restaurant! Exquisite!
Thank you, Reagyn, we’re so glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed this! :)
This was my first recipe to try from the Gimme Some Oven site….forever ago. It is still my husband’s favorite of everything I make. It is so delicious, loaded with veggies, makes a ton and heats up beautifully for leftovers. What more can you ask for?!? Apologies for just now leaving a comment. #favoriterecipeever
Awww, we’re so happy you and your husband enjoy it, Lindsay! Thanks for your sweet words!
Love love love this recipe. Made it numerous times now. I add 20oz of mushrooms, because yeah, I have an addiction to them. Lol. Wondering if you’ve ever froze the leftovers?
Was really great, but I thought it needed a little something extra. Added some sun dried tomatoes and that gave it the extra bit of flavor that was missing. Will definitely make again.
Just wondering what kind of goat cheese? Chèvre? Goat feta? Goat cheddar?
Thanks