Rocket Chicken Spätzle with Shiitake

Set the skillet hot. Medium-high. Chicken goes in first—spread it out, don’t move it around. That’s how you get the crust. Five minutes and it’s already golden, and then the mushrooms hit the pan.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Pasta

Takes 50 minutes total and tastes like you spent three hours on it. The chicken thighs stay actually juicy—not like breast meat, all dry and pointless. Mushrooms get deep and soft. Cherry tomatoes break down into this sauce that’s kind of sweet, kind of sharp depending on how ripe they are. Arugula at the end keeps it from being too heavy. And the pecorino—it melts into the pasta and ties everything together. Works cold the next day, maybe even better then. Not complicated. Just hot pan, good timing, sharp cheese at the end.

Ingredients for Seared Chicken with Arugula and Mushroom Broth

Chicken thighs. Two hundred grams, cut into chunks. Not breast—thighs don’t dry out. Shiitake mushrooms, fresh, about two hundred grams sliced. They shrink. Plan for that. Shallot. One large one, minced. Garlic. Two cloves. Olive oil. Seventy mil. That sounds like a lot. It’s not. Chicken broth. Four hundred mil. Cherry tomatoes, halved, four hundred fifty grams. Arugula. A bunch. Roughly chopped. Spätzle pasta—three hundred fifty grams. Use fresh if you can find it. Dried works. Just takes longer. Pecorino romano. Grated. One hundred fifty grams. That’s a lot of cheese. Good.

How to Make Pan Seared Chicken Mushroom Spätzle

Heat the oil till it shimmers. Seriously—wait for that shimmer. Toss in the chicken chunks spread them out across the bottom. Don’t mess with them. Leave it alone for five minutes. You’ll know when—the edges turn gold and when you peek, there’s a crust. Now mushrooms hit the pan. Shallot. Garlic. Stir this part. Six, seven minutes. The mushrooms shrink down to maybe half their size and the shallots go soft and translucent. Smell it. That’s when you know you’re close. Sharp garlic aroma, not burnt—that matters.

Pour in the broth. Gets loud. Vigorous boil. Then simmer. Just steady bubbling. Twelve minutes and the liquid should’ve dropped by half or so. Then cherry tomatoes go in. They start leaking juice immediately, edges curl up a bit, break down but stay whole—don’t smash them. Seven minutes. That’s enough.

How to Get Cherry Tomato Chicken Pasta Just Right

After the tomatoes, the arugula goes in. One minute. Toss it fast. Leaves wilt but stay green. There should be sauce clinging to the chicken and coating the bottom—thick but not soup. Not drown-the-pasta thick. If it looks dry, add a bit more broth. Do that now, before the pasta joins.

Spätzle needs salted boiling water. Large pot. Cook it till just shy of tender—that firm bounce when you bite. Fresh spätzle takes two, three minutes. Dried takes five, six. Depends on the brand. Drain it. Keep some of the cooking water—just a splash. Might need it.

Transfer the pasta straight to the skillet. Off heat. Sprinkle the pecorino all over. Toss hard. The cheese melts slightly, coats everything, brings the sauce together. Salt. Fresh black pepper. Taste it. Adjust. Serve right away. That sharpness from the cheese balances the bitter greens and the sweet tomatoes. Everything works.

If the spätzle clumped up or stuck, stir in the reserved water a little at a time. Keep texture loose. Never mushy.

Rocket Chicken Spätzle with Shiitake

By Emma

Prep:

20 min

Cook:

30 min

Total:

50 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 200 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into chunks
• 200 g fresh shiitake mushrooms sliced
• 1 large shallot minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 70 ml olive oil
• 400 ml chicken broth
• 450 ml cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 bunch arugula (approx 120 g), roughly chopped
• 350 g spätzle pasta
• 150 ml pecorino romano grated

Method

1. 1 Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium-high. Toss in chicken pieces, spread out. Leave undisturbed till golden brown crust forms, around 5 minutes. Now throw in mushrooms, shallot, and garlic; sauté, stirring occasionally until mushrooms shrink and shallots soften—about 6-7 minutes. Smell deepening, garlic aroma sharp but not burnt.
2. 2 Pour in broth. Bring to vigorous boil. Watch bubbles, let it simmer steadily. Cook 12 minutes, reduce liquid by half. Then add cherry tomatoes. They’ll start releasing juice and break down, cook until edges curl, about 7 minutes. Avoid smashing, just gentle mingling.
3. 3 Stir in chopped arugula, toss quickly for one minute. Leaves wilt but keep punchy green. There should be a thick but spoon-coating sauce left. Add broth if too dry, sauce shouldn’t drown pasta later.
4. 4 Meanwhile, boil salted water in large pot. Cook spätzle till just before tender but firm. Usually 2-3 minutes fresh, 5-6 minutes dried—depends on brand. Drain, reserve a splash cooking water in case.
5. 5 Transfer spätzle directly to skillet with chicken mixture. Off heat, sprinkle grated pecorino. Toss vigorously, cheese melts slightly, coats pasta, sauce binds everything. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper freshly ground. Serve immediately. Cheese sharpness balances the bitter greens and sweet tomatoes.
6. 6 Tip: If spätzle stick or clump, stir in reserved pasta water little by little. Keep texture lively, never mushy.

Nutritional information

Calories

420

Protein

30g

Carbs

40g

Fat

18g

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Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Pasta with Mushrooms

Can you use chicken breast instead of thighs? Technically yes. It’ll be drier. Thighs are better. They stay juicy even if you don’t baby them.

What if you can’t find fresh shiitakes? Cremini. Portobello. Brown mushrooms work. Won’t taste exactly the same but close enough. Don’t bother with dried. Tastes like nothing.

How long does this keep in the fridge? Three, four days. Reheats okay. Add a splash of broth when you warm it up. The pasta soaks it all back in.

Can you make this ahead? Cook everything separate. Keep the chicken mixture in one container, the cooked spätzle in another. Toss them together when you’re ready to eat. Cheese and arugula go in last.

What if the sauce breaks or looks greasy? Pecorino can split if the pan’s too hot when you add it. Keep the heat off. Just residual warmth. Toss fast. If it still breaks, add a splash of broth and stir slow. Brings it back usually.

Is there a substitute for arugula? Spinach works. Basil works. Kale doesn’t—too tough. Arugula gives you that peppery bite at the end that matters here.