# Chicken White Sauce Pasta

> For white sauce pasta, the secret to a smooth sauce is that **the cheese goes in on the lowest heat or with the heat off** and is stirred until it melts — high heat makes the cheese clump and separate oil. And remove the sauce while it is **slightly thinner than the consistency you want**, because it thickens in two minutes after the pasta goes in, and adjust it with spoons of the boiling water.

**Egyptian Cuisine · 35 min · 4 servings · 880 kcal per serving**

Chicken white sauce pasta is the quick version of restaurant food: all in one pan on the stovetop, without an oven or baking dish, and ready in half an hour. The chicken is seared first, and in the same pan the sauce is made from milk, cream, and cheese, so it takes on the flavor of the sear left at the bottom.

## Ingredients

- 400 g — fettuccine or penne pasta
- 1 tbsp — salt for the boiling water
- 400 g — thinly sliced chicken breast
- 1 tsp — paprika
- 0.5 tsp — garlic powder
- 1 tsp — salt (for the chicken and sauce)
- 0.5 tsp — black pepper
- 1 tbsp — oil
- 2 tbsp — butter
- 4 clove — finely minced garlic
- 2 tbsp — flour
- 2 cup — warm full-fat milk
- 1 cup — cooking cream
- 100 g — grated cheddar or roumi cheese (about a cup)
- 2 tbsp — chopped parsley for garnish

## Method

1. **Boiling the Pasta** — Boil the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water **one minute less than the package time**, and before draining **scoop out a cup of the cooking water** and set it aside. The starch in this water is what will adjust the consistency of the sauce at the end.
2. **Seasoning the Chicken** — Season the chicken slices with **half a teaspoon of salt**, the paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Thin slices (**about 1 cm**) cook in minutes before drying out.
3. **Searing the Chicken** — Heat the oil in a wide pan over high heat until shimmering, and spread the chicken in a **single layer** and leave it for **3 minutes** without stirring, flip it for another **2–3 minutes**, and lift it onto a plate. Overcrowding the pan makes the chicken boil in its juices instead of searing — sear in batches if the pan is small.
4. **Butter, Garlic, and Flour** — Lower the heat to medium, melt the butter in the same pan and add the garlic for **30 seconds** only — burnt garlic makes the whole sauce bitter. Add the flour and stir for **1 minute** until it absorbs the butter and its raw taste goes away.
5. **Milk and Cream** — Pour the milk little by little while whisking with a wire whisk, and scrape the brown spots at the bottom of the pan — this is the flavor of the seared chicken. Add the cream and let the sauce simmer gently for **3–4 minutes** until it **coats the back of the spoon**.
6. **The Cheese on the Lowest Heat** — Lower the heat **to the lowest setting** or turn it off, and add the cheese **in 3 batches** and stir until each batch melts before the next. Taste and then add **the remaining half teaspoon of salt** depending on the saltiness of the cheese.
7. **Pasta and Chicken in the Sauce** — Return the chicken with its juices and add the pasta and toss over low heat for **1 minute**. If the sauce thickens, add the cooking water **a quarter cup at a time** until it is glossy and coats the pasta without being pasty.
8. **Serve Immediately** — Serve right away and sprinkle the parsley and black pepper on top. White sauce thickens the longer it sits, so don't leave it on the stove and serve later.

## Tips

- Grate the cheese yourself from the block — pre-shredded cheese has powder on it to prevent sticking, and this makes the sauce grainy.
- Sauté **150 g sliced mushrooms** in the pan after the chicken until browned, then continue with the butter and garlic.
- Warm milk blends faster and without lumps than cold milk, so warm it for a minute before you start.
- The juices that come out of the chicken while it rests on the plate, return them to the sauce — they have a lot of flavor.

## FAQ

### Why does the sauce thicken and become like dough after a while?
The starch in the pasta and cheese absorbs the liquid as the dish cools. The solution is to remove the sauce while it is thinner than required, and serve it immediately, and if it thickens add cooking water or hot milk and stir over low heat.

### Why does the cheese clump and the sauce separate oil?
The heat was high when the cheese went in, or the cheese went in all at once, or it was low-fat cheese. If it happens: turn off the heat, add **two tablespoons of cold milk or cream** and whisk vigorously with a wire whisk until the sauce becomes smooth again.

### Can I make it without cream?
Yes: use **3 cups of milk** instead of milk and cream, and increase **a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of butter**. The sauce comes out lighter in taste and calories, but remains creamy.

### Can I reheat it later or freeze it?
It is stored in the fridge for **2 days**. Reheat it in a pan over low heat with **a quarter cup of milk** while stirring, or in the microwave at 30-second intervals. Freezing is not recommended: the sauce separates and the pasta softens after thawing.

---

Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/egyptian-cuisine/chicken-white-sauce-pasta
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-27