Fire up the grill and break out your favorite grill-safe baking pan, instead of a big hunk of meat today we are grilling a delicious Creamy Chicken Pasta dish! Chicken tenders make this so simple to throw together, and the wood fire adds notes to this dish you won’t get any other way.
Wood Fired Creamy Chicken Pasta
We use our Traeger for just about everything, especially in the summer when the thought of turning on my oven or stovetop and further heating up the house makes me want to run for takeout or just skip cooking completely.
This dish takes fresh crisp bell peppers, onion, and garlic, and cooks them in some olive oil while the seasoned chicken tenders cook on the grill grates. Then we hit the whole thing with a borderline ridiculous amount of cream, but hey – you only live once, right?
Heavy cream makes the best cream sauce, and I will fight you over that fact if you want to argue. You can take your whole milk or half and half alfredo and just – keep enjoying it. I’m not here to yuck anyone’s yum, but full disclosure if you eat alfredo at my house it is going to be the real deal.
Get all of my Traeger Recipes here!
Creamy Chicken Pasta shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil
- Bell peppers
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Chicken tenders
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Butter
- Heavy cream
- Fresh thyme
- Parmesan cheese
- Ziti pasta
Get 75+ of my favorite Traeger Recipes here!
How to make Cream Chicken Pasta on the Traeger
This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
1
Preheat
The grill AND the pan with olive oil in it, to 400°F.
2
Cook
Season the chicken breasts. Put them on the grill grates and put the onions, peppers, and garlic into the preheated pan. Cook for 15 minutes, flipping and stirring once.
Get the pasta cooking too at some point during this process.
3
Sauce it up!
Put the chicken into the pan with the veg. Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes.Add that butter and cream and let it cook for a while until it is bubbly and slightly reduced.
4
Cheese
Now remove from the grill, stir in the parmesan cheese, and toss with the cooked pasta.
5
Enjoy
Serve with a fresh green salad tossed with a light vinaigrette and some garlic bread sticks.
Try my Traeger Chicken Alfredo Lasagna!
Creamy Chicken Pasta FAQ
Can you use another type of vegetable for this dish?
Yes! You can use whatever vegetables you’d like. I recommend broccoli, zucchini, and/or spinach as good options.
Can you substitute half and half or milk instead of cream?
NO. Enough said.
What’s the best way to store and reheat leftovers?
Store the leftovers for 2-3 days covered in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave.
Try my Shrimp Alfredo!
Serve this with…
More great pasta recipes to love!
- Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo
- Traeger Seafood Alfredo
- Traeger Feta Pasta
- Chicken and Zucchini Pasta Bake
- Traeger Smoked Cream Cheese Pasta
- Browned Butter Mizithra Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Traeger Creamy Chicken Pasta
This deliciously creamy pasta sauce is made over live wood fire and features perfectly cooked chicken tenderloins, fresh parmesan cheese, and crunchy bell peppers!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large bell peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 ounces butter, melted
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 8 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 pound ziti pasta
Instructions
- Put the olive oil into a large 10x13 high-sided baking dish. Put the dish into the grill, and then turn the grill on to preheat to 400°F with the pan inside.
- Season the chicken tenders with the salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne.
- Add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic to the preheated pan. Put the chicken tenders directly on the grill grates.
- Let the mixture cook for 7 minutes, flip the chicken tenders over and give the onion/pepper/garlic mixture a stir. Cook another 7 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, put a pot of well-salted water on to boil. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain and cover to keep warm.
- Put the chicken into the pan with the vegetables and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes.
- Add the melted butter, heavy cream, and fresh thyme to the pan and stir to combine.
- Let cook for around 15 minutes. You want the mixture to come to a good simmer for a few minutes.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Remove from the grill and toss with the pasta and serve hot with extra parmesan cheese.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 990Total Fat: 80gSaturated Fat: 44gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 295mgSodium: 1247mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 51g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate.
Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson, a self-taught expert in grilling and outdoor cooking, launched Or Whatever You Do in 2010. Her blog, renowned for its comprehensive and creative outdoor cooking recipes, has garnered a vast audience of millions. Nicole's hands-on experience and passion for grilling shine through her work. Her husband, Jeremiah Johnson, also plays a pivotal role in recipe development, adding his culinary flair to the mix. Together, they form a dynamic duo, offering a rich and varied outdoor cooking experience to their followers.
Larry Frazer
Wednesday 18th of October 2023
Are you using a pellet smoker or an actual grill?
Nicole Johnson
Wednesday 18th of October 2023
We used a pellet grill. This would work on a gas or charcoal grill as well, over indirect heat.
Bob
Thursday 12th of October 2023
This is definitely restaurant quality. Absolutely 5 star
Nicole Johnson
Friday 13th of October 2023
Thanks, Bob!