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    Home » Budget Recipes

    Chicken and Bowties Pasta with Sage and Nutmeg

    Published: Oct 8, 2016 · Modified: Jul 19, 2022 by Jessica Fisher

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    Ready to welcome fall in style? This Chicken and Bowties Pasta dish, rich with sage and nutmeg, creamy and delicious is a perfect addition to your fall table.

    Chicken and Bowties Pasta | Life as Mom this …

    I love fall. It’s one of the best things about the Midwest. And the one thing that I miss since moving back to California.

    The weather is turning just a bit now here in San Diego. Well, at least the leaves are falling. It’s been cool enough to wear a sweatshirt some mornings, which I love. It’s hard for me to decide, honestly. I did so enjoy our summer beach days.

    If I can’t enjoy traditional fall weather, at least I can indulge in fall foods.

    One of the great things about fall is the food: soups, braises, creamy pastas, pies, and lot of baked goods. I’m ladening our table with Pumpkin Scones, Apple Turnovers, and this Chicken and Bowties Pasta.

    This Chicken and Bowties recipe is one that I’ve been making for over 20 years, since we were newlyweds. A friend made it for me on a weekend visit, and it quickly became a regular in our meal rotation. It’s perfect for fall when tomato season is winding down. Since it combines both sun-dried and fresh tomatoes, you can swing it either way, depending on the season.

    Psst. You’ll want to make it year-round.

    This dish is a little addictive. Making it on a weekly basis that first year – ahem – we learned a few key things about it: fresh tomatoes are better added at the very end not cooked in the sauce, and you cannot omit the nutmeg.

    My husband, Bryan, doesn’t typically care for nutmeg in pasta recipes. (Martha, we tried mac and cheese your way, and it just didn’t work!) But, this dish really needs the nutmeg. Combined with the cream, woodsy sage, chicken, and sweet and tart tomatoes, the nutmeg really adds something. The whole dish screams of fall!

    So, don’t omit the nutmeg. Even if it sounds weird.

    A bowl of Chicken Bowtie Pasta, with cheese and grater

    How I make this good:

    Whenever possible, I like to cook with plain old ingredients. While the convenience of mixes and canned sauces is nice, I feel better about feeding my family just real food whenever possible. (Go here for some of my reasons on all that.)

    This recipe has no processed ingredients, just real food. I like that. You can use gluten-free or whole wheat pasta if you prefer. And you can substitute half and half for the heavy cream, but it’s worth the little indulgence.

    How to make this cheap:

    Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:

    • Meal plan around what’s on sale. Don’t decide to make this when chicken is $7/pound  and you have none in the freezer.
    • Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. For instance, when I see a great price on chicken, I buy a lot. The same goes for cream or sun-dried tomatoes.
    • Use less expensive alternatives to pricey ingredients. I love true parmigiano reggiano, but it’s often pretty pricey. Using romano or asiago offers me a less expensive alternative.
    • Do a price comparison. I know that Trader Joe’s is the best place to buy ingredients like pasta or chicken when there isn’t a great sale elsewhere. Costco is where it’s at for heavy cream. I keep track of prices so that I know who has the best deal where.

    (If you don’t already do so, consider following Good Cheap Eats, my food blog, where I regularly share money-saving tips and budget-friendly recipes.)

    Tools I use to make this recipe easy:

    This is a pretty straight-forward dish. You don’t need any fancy equipment. However, having some good basic kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs. Here are the tools that I like to use in this recipe.

    • plastic cutting boards – I have blue boards for veggies and white boards for meat.
    • Ergo Chef chef’s knife – I’ve had my set for several years and they work well.
    • large skillet with lid – I have two of these since I love this model so much.
    • stainless steel pot – My KitchenAid pot similar to this one is going on 14 years.
    • colander – This is the one I bought this year when our old one broke.
    • hand-held cheese grater –  I love this for passing at the table. Freshly grated cheese!

    Chicken and Bowties Pasta | Life as Mom

    A bowl of Chicken Bowtie Pasta
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    5 from 1 vote

    Chicken and Bowties Pasta with Sage and Nutmeg

    Ready to welcome fall in style? This Chicken and Bowties Pasta dish, rich with sage and nutmeg, creamy and delicious is a perfect addition to your fall table.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 545kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup sundried tomatoes (julienned) if oil packed, reserve the oil
    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil or reserved oil from tomatoes
    • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed
    • 2 oz mushrooms (sliced) (½ cup)
    • salt
    • black pepper
    • 1 lb bowtie pasta
    • 1 cup whipping cream
    • 1 ½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 2 tomato chopped
    • Parmesan cheese (shredded) asiago, or roman cheese
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Drain the tomatoes, if using oil packed sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside.
    • Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy skillet. Add the chicken and mushrooms and season to taste with salt and pepper. Saute until the chicken is almost cooked through and the mushrooms are tender.
    • Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water, according to manufacturer’s directions. Rinse and drain.
    • Add the sundried tomatoes, cream, and spices. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and spices. Heat well.
    • Toss the hot pasta with the chicken and sauce. Add the fresh tomatoes and
    • garnish with the cheese. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    Store leftovers covered in fridge for up to 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 545kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 593mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 719IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @goodcheapeatsblog or tag #goodcheapeats!

    What’s your favorite fall recipe?

    Chicken and Bowties Pasta | Life as Mom

    Originally published September 18, 2008. Updated October 8, 2016.

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    Comments

    1. Michelle

      October 13, 2020 at 3:58 am

      5 stars
      Made this for dinner last night and it was a big hit! My teen boys had several helpings. Any ideas on how to make a lower carb version? Hubby and I need to watch ours. Also what did you garnish yours with in the photos?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        October 14, 2020 at 8:32 am

        The garnish is just chopped fresh parsley. Re: carbs, I take it as all in moderation. Serving an abundance of veggies on the side can really help. The proportion of chicken to pasta is pretty high already.

        Reply
    2. Ellen

      September 25, 2011 at 12:39 pm

      Hey! Could you substitute whole milk or evaporated milk for the heavy cream in this recipe? Half and half even? I usually don’t have heavy cream on hand…

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        September 25, 2011 at 12:43 pm

        yes on the half and half. Just use a little less, maybe?

        Reply
    3. Karen

      September 19, 2008 at 4:27 pm

      Thanks for hosting this. I’m gonna love checking out all these recipes.

      I posted a recipe for apple cider syrup for the swap.

      Reply
    4. Sonshine

      September 19, 2008 at 12:53 pm

      All these recipes are getting me in the baking mood! I love fall too!

      Thanks for hosting this cause I am getting some more new recipes to try! 🙂

      Reply
    5. BusyMom

      September 19, 2008 at 10:14 am

      totallyscrappy – Yum! Your Pumpkin Fluff sounds delicious. I have a Pumpkin Pudding recipe, but it creates a heavier dessert. I think I might have to try this one.

      Reply
    6. Totallyscrappy

      September 19, 2008 at 3:46 am

      PUMPKIN COBBLER

      Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9×13 pan.

      3 eggs, beaten
      15 oz can pumpkin
      12 oz can evaporated milk
      1/8 tsp salt
      1 cup sugar
      1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
      1 t ground ginger
      1 T vanilla
      1 boxed yellow cake mix
      1 1/4 cup butter, melted
      1 cup pecans, chopped

      Mix the eggs, pumpkin, evaporated milk, salt, sugar, spices and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Pour the dry cake mix over the pumpkin mixture. Drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped nuts over the cobbler and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

      (I adjusted the recipe just a bit… I added a bit of ground cloves to the pumpkin mixture and I found that it had to bake about another 10 minutes, so watch this while it bakes!)

      PUMPKIN FLUFF

      1 15 oz can pumpkin
      1 small box of instant vanilla pudding (powder)
      1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
      1 container whipped topping (“lite” works)

      Mix all this stuff in a bowl and use graham cracker sticks, ginger snaps and green apple slices for “dippers.”

      Reply
    7. Katie @ 3 Blondes and a Redhead

      September 18, 2008 at 9:43 pm

      This recipe sounds amazing…and I have everything in the house! I’ll have to try this in my meal plan next week. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    8. JessieLeigh

      September 18, 2008 at 8:56 pm

      Honestly? My mom has sent me that chicken recipe at least a half a dozen times and I can never seem to find it. It’s embarrassing and I’m usually kind of freaky-organized… I have long since decided that will just have to be a dish I enjoy when I get to spend some autumn in Connecticut… (which beats the pants off autumn in Indiana if you ask me- gorgeous trees and hills!)

      Reply
    9. Kate

      September 18, 2008 at 8:48 pm

      Your dinner sounds delicious. My family would just love it. I have it bookmarked to try soon. Thanks!

      Reply
    10. Zimms Zoo

      September 18, 2008 at 8:07 pm

      One of my favorites is my pumpkin-apple butter. I cook it in the crock-pot (instead of on the stove) until it is very hot and then ladle into canning jars and I freze it.

      Pumpkin – Apple Butter

      2 cans 15 oz each of pure pumpkin
      2 c unsweetened applesauce
      2/3 c packed brown sugar
      1 1/2 t ginger
      1 t each of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

      Stir all ingredients together in heavy saucepan until blended. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring often to prevent scorching. 30 minutes or until mixture is very thick. Cool spoon into containters. Cover and refrigerate.

      This is really good on muffins, pancakes and waffles for a healthy alternative to syrups. I make it in the crock-pot and it freezes well so I make a triple match most of the time.

      Reply
    11. Ryann

      September 18, 2008 at 7:50 pm

      Yes, FishMama the pumpkin spice latte tastes like pumpkin pie. It is decadence in a mug. Thanks for commenting over at Thirsty Thursday.

      Reply
    12. FishMama

      September 18, 2008 at 6:27 pm

      Robin, the potatoes sound yummy.

      Umm, JessieLeigh, I think it’s time to call your parents!

      Reply
    13. JessieLeigh

      September 18, 2008 at 5:54 pm

      Yum, that sounds delicious! I love pasta dishes.

      This is not particularly helpful since I don't have the recipe, but my mom makes a Chicken with Wine & Cheese dish that uses sherry and swiss cheese and heavy cream to create an amazing sauce. I crave that, and my dad's French Onion Soup, whenever the temps dip!

      Reply
    14. robin

      September 18, 2008 at 3:42 pm

      This is an easy recipe and I love its cheesy and hot goodness!

      Twice Baked Potatoes

      3 potatoes
      1/8 cup butter
      1/2 cup sour cream
      1/2 beaten egg
      1/2 Tbsp. salt
      Paprika
      Grated cheddar

      Preheat oven to 425F. Bake potatoes for 1 hour. Cut potatoes in half (lengthwise) and scoop out innards. Mash in bowl and add sour cream, butter, egg, and salt. Refill skins with mixture and cover with cheese and paprika. Bake at 350F until cheese melts.

      Reply

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