4 Best Chicken Cuts For Pasta: Does Chicken Go With Pasta?

You may think that beef is the only choice for pasta, but chicken is actually a good option that is both delicious and healthy.

But what cut of chicken is best for pasta?

Let’s discuss in this article to figure out the best chicken for pasta and some useful tips to choose this meat ingredient in your next pasta dish.

How to choose chicken for pasta?

Choosing chicken for pasta is not a challenge because there are not many cuts of chicken on the market.

If you follow these simple tips, it will be even much easier to pick the best cut of chicken for pasta:

1.     White meat chicken and dark meat chicken can both work for pasta

You can opt for white meat chicken or dark meat chicken for a pasta recipe.

White meat chicken is considered healthier, so it is pricier.

It is leaner, therefore, this cut comes with a milder taste and tender texture if properly cooked.

However, due to the low-fat content, white meat chicken tends to become dry if overcooked.

Meanwhile, dark meat chicken contains more fat, so it is juicier and richer in taste.

2.     Select a fresh cut of free-range chicken for a better experience 

The second thing that should be kept in mind when choosing chicken for pasta or any other dish is that a fresh cut of meat is always the priority option.

It is even better if you can afford free-range chicken because it is more nutritious, healthier, and has a better taste too.

3.     You can buy pre-ground chicken for more convenience

Chicken for pasta can be ground chicken or the whole chicken that is sliced or shredded into pieces of meat.

In case you want to opt for ground chicken for pasta, you can buy fresh pre-ground chicken to save a lot of time and effort in the kitchen.

4 best chicken for pasta

Although there are not many cuts of chicken sold on the market, some cuts of it still work better for pasta than others.

Here are four ideas of chicken cuts that will make your pasta taste delicious and be healthy:                                  

1.     Skinless, boneless chicken breast

A skinless, boneless cut of chicken breast is the most common cut of chicken for pasta.

This is the leanest and most tender cut of chicken that is best for those who want to eat delicious dishes without sacrificing their health.

Chicken breast can be sliced into bite-sized pieces or ground for pasta depending on your preference.

2.     Skinless, boneless chicken thighs

The second cut of chicken that you can try for pasta is chicken thighs.

Again, it is better to opt for the skinless, boneless version of chicken thighs to cook in your pasta recipe.

Chicken thighs will provide your dish with a more flavorful taste and juicier texture compared to chicken breast.

It is also more affordable because this dark meat cut is considered less healthy due to its high-fat content.

3.     Skinless, boneless chicken drumsticks

You can also try drumsticks of chicken for pasta.

Although this cut is often sold with the bones and skin intact, you can boil or roast chicken drumsticks and then take the meat only for pasta.

Chicken drumsticks have a richer taste than chicken breast because the meat from this cut is the same as chicken thighs.

4.     Ground chicken

Last but not least, ground chicken can resemble ground beef in your pasta recipe.

When buying ground chicken from a grocery store or local butcher shop, you can opt for the package with ground chicken breast or ground chicken thighs only, or the mixture of both white meat and dark meat chicken.

Pre-ground chicken is very convenient because it helps save a lot of time spent in the kitchen.

All you need to do is to use the meat right from the package in your recipe.

The bottom line

The chicken will provide your pasta with a milder taste, but it is much healthier than its red meat counterpart.

It really comes down to personal preference on the flavor profile and texture of different cuts of chicken, including white meat and dark meat, to choose for your pasta.

Remember to always choose a boneless skinless cut because it is tender and goes well with pasta noodles without making your dish greasy and hard to eat.

To figure out what is the right cut for your chicken pasta, it is recommended to try out all the aforementioned cuts of chicken.