Easy peasy creamy pasta

A very simple dish that I've cooked regularly but never blogged is so simple that I'm almost embarrassed to blog it.  But with Big'Un heading to uni in a few weeks, it seems important to note down even these obvious recipes so she can use them when she needs them.  This is one she loves and is easy and quick and satisfying.  I used to cook it whenever we stayed in a caravan or anywhere self-catering due to the simplicity and low number of ingredients.

1 pack of boneless chicken of choice
olive oil or butter to fry
1 pack of cream cheese (flavoured if you like - I used black pepper this time; I've used garlic and herb in the past too)
1 onion
half a teaspoon of garlic granules (optional)
1 heaped teaspoon of Marigold (yes, I always take this with me on self-catering holidays)
a splash of white wine
a bowlful of frozen veg of choice (peas, sweetcorn, a small bag of mixed veg, whatever)
(if you don't have a freezer, a tin of sweetcorn would also work)
splash of green Tabasco.
salt and pepper to taste
300 - 500g pasta shapes


Begin by getting the water on to boil.  Then chop up the chicken into bitesize pieces and fry them until golden in the oil or butter.  Chop the onion while that is frying.  Once they are done, remove with a slotted spoon and put the chopped onion into the pan.  Fry slowly until translucent.  

Once the water is boiling, add salt to the water and boil the pasta shapes for the time stated on the packet.

Once the onion is soft, add the chicken back in, with the garlic granules and the Marigold and finally the wine.    Stir it all well and add the veg and then pop a lid on and simmer until the pasta is done.

Once the pasta is cooked, scoop a mug of water out and reserve and then drain the pasta. While that is draining in the colander, add the pack of cream cheese to the chicken and stir it about and let it melt evenly through the chicken.

Carefully mix in the drained pasta and if needed add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to help loosen the whole thing to coat the pasta in the creamy sauce.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and the very important green Tabasco.  I haven't found anything that makes this dish quite the way that green Tabasco does, it's the sour tang I just love!  Honestly, I love the flavour of it almost as much as I love Marigold; I'm pretty sure my kids don't recognise foods cooked without one or t'other!!