Creamy Restaurant Pasta

Creamy baked pasta with marinated chicken and a golden cheese crust — a Pakistani restaurant favorite.

Creamy Restaurant Pasta
Chef Amir Zubair

Written by Zahid Tayyab Original recipe by Chef Amir Zubair Proofread by Chef Amir Zubair Published

International
Prep Time:25 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 55 minutes
Servings:2 to 3 persons
Allergen warning

This recipe contains: Gluten, Dairy. If you have a food allergy, check every ingredient label before cooking.

On this page
  1. 🧂 Ingredients
  2. Method
  3. Nutrition
  4. How to serve creamy pasta
  5. Troubleshooting: common issues and solutions
  6. FAQs
  7. Conclusion

I baked this creamy pasta in my restaurant kitchen for years. Guests ordered it every evening and asked for the recipe. I never shared it with anyone. The secret sits in two places: the sauce and the chicken marination. Today I reveal the complete method for the first time. Follow each step in order and your pasta will taste like the restaurant version.

Estimated nutrition per serving
CaloriesProteinCarbsFat
100036 g34 g79 g

Estimated values per serving. See the Nutrition section below for details.

🧂 Ingredients

  • Macaroni pasta: 100 grams
  • Chicken breast cubes: 100 grams
  • Mayonnaise: 150 ml
  • Cream: 50 ml
  • Garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
  • Crushed red chili: 1 tablespoon
  • Dried oregano: 3 to 4 grams
  • Dried parsley: 1 to 2 grams
  • Tikka powder: 50 grams
  • Yogurt: 3 to 4 tablespoons
  • Black olives: 8 to 12
  • Mushrooms: 5 to 7
  • Sausages: 10 to 12 pieces
  • Cheddar cheese: 30 grams
  • Mozzarella cheese: 70 grams

Method

Step 1: boil the macaroni

Fill a large pot with water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add 100 grams of macaroni. Stir the pasta once after 30 seconds. The stirring stops the pieces from sticking together. Cook the macaroni for 8 to 10 minutes. Taste one piece before draining. It should feel soft with a slight firmness in the center. Drain the water completely. Do not rinse the pasta with cold water. A thin starch layer stays on the surface. That layer helps the sauce cling to the pasta later.

Step 1: boil the macaroni — Creamy Restaurant Pasta

Step 2: make the creamy pasta sauce

Take a separate clean bowl. Add 150 ml of mayonnaise to the bowl. Add 50 ml of cream. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic paste. Add 1 tablespoon of crushed red chili. Add 3 to 4 grams of dried oregano. Add 1 to 2 grams of dried parsley. Mix everything with a spoon until the sauce turns smooth and fluffy. You can also blend the mixture for 20 seconds. Blending gives an extra silky texture. Taste the sauce once. It should feel creamy, slightly spicy, and aromatic. This sauce carries the main flavor of the dish. Set the bowl aside.

Step 2: make the creamy pasta sauce — Creamy Restaurant Pasta

Step 3: marinate the chicken

Place 100 grams of chicken cubes in a bowl. Add 50 grams of tikka powder. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of yogurt. Mix well until every cube gets a full coating. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour. The yogurt tenderizes the chicken during this time. The tikka masala penetrates deep into the meat. Do not skip the marination. It builds the juicy restaurant taste.

Step 3: marinate the chicken — Creamy Restaurant Pasta

Step 4: cook the chicken on high flame

Heat a pan on high flame for 2 minutes. Add the marinated chicken cubes. Spread them in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook for 10 minutes only. Turn the cubes after 5 minutes. The high flame seals the juices inside. The outside gets a rich masala crust. The inside stays tender. Remove the pan from the flame at 10 minutes. Longer cooking dries the chicken out. Set the chicken aside.

Step 4: cook the chicken on high flame — Creamy Restaurant Pasta

Step 5: combine all ingredients with the sauce

Take a large mixing bowl. Add the boiled macaroni. Add the cooked chicken cubes. Add 8 to 12 black olives. Add 5 to 7 mushrooms. Add 10 to 12 sausage pieces. Pour the creamy pasta sauce over everything. Mix gently with a large spoon. Coat every piece well with the sauce. No dry pasta should remain visible. The sauce must wet all the ingredients completely. This step decides the final creaminess of the dish.

Step 5: combine all ingredients with the sauce — Creamy Restaurant Pasta

Step 6: assemble the baking pan

Preheat the oven to 160C before this step. Take a deep baking pan. Transfer the pasta mixture into the pan. Spread it evenly with the spoon. Grate 30 grams of cheddar cheese. Grate 70 grams of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cover the entire surface. No pasta should peek through the cheese layer. The cheese forms the golden crust during baking. A full cover gives an even brown color.

Step 6: assemble the baking pan — Creamy Restaurant Pasta

Step 7: bake at 160c

Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Watch the top through the oven glass after 12 minutes. The cheese melts first. Then the top turns golden brown. Remove the pan when the color looks even and golden. Do not bake beyond 18 minutes. Extra time dries the sauce under the cheese. Let the pasta rest for 4 to 6 minutes. The sauce settles during the rest. Serve hot with ketchup and garlic bread.

Step 7: bake at 160c — Creamy Restaurant Pasta

Nutrition

One serving (about one third of the pan) provides an estimated 1000 calories, 36 grams of protein, 34 grams of carbohydrates, and 79 grams of fat. These values use the Atwater system: 4 calories per gram of protein, 4 per gram of carbohydrate, and 9 per gram of fat. They cover the macaroni, chicken, sauce, cheeses, sausages, and olives.

That is about half of the 2000 to 2500 daily calories an adult needs according to the World Health Organization. One tablespoon of mayonnaise provides about 100 calories according to USDA FoodData Central, and this recipe uses 150 ml. The chicken and the cheese supply most of the protein.

Note

This is a celebration dish, not a daily meal. Serve smaller portions and pair them with a green salad to balance the richness.

How to serve creamy pasta

Plate a generous portion per person with 2 slices of garlic bread and ketchup on the side. Serve within 15 minutes. The cheese pulls best while hot.

Troubleshooting: common issues and solutions

The cheese did not turn golden brown. The oven ran too cool. Move the pan to the upper rack for 3 more minutes.

The sauce feels too thin. The pasta was still wet when mixed. Drain the macaroni fully and add 1 extra tablespoon of mayonnaise.

The chicken turned dry. It cooked longer than 10 minutes. Set a timer next time.

Note

Grate the cheese fresh. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that stop smooth melting.

Note

Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate within 1 hour. Add a splash of cream when reheating.

FAQs

Can I make it without an oven?

Yes, but you lose the golden crust. Cook the mixture in a covered pan on low flame for 10 minutes until the cheese melts.

Can I prepare the sauce in advance?

Yes. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Stir well before mixing.

Why bake at 160C?

The lower temperature melts the cheese slowly for an even golden color. Higher heat burns the top first.

Conclusion

This creamy pasta comes from a restaurant kitchen. The sauce, the marinated chicken, and the cheese crust each serve a purpose. Follow the temperatures and timings exactly. The result matches the restaurant dish your family loves.

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