Effortlessly Delicious: Creamy Chicken Pasta with Kraft Green Onion Dip for Easy Weeknight Meals & Poolside Parties
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Elevate your dinner game with this incredibly creamy chicken pasta, featuring tender chicken, savory baby bella mushrooms, fresh green onions, and the surprising secret ingredient: Kraft Green Onion Dip. It’s a guaranteed family favorite that’s as easy to make as it is delicious!
A huge thank you to Walmart and Kraft for helping me create this super easy and memorable poolside dinner party!
Pasta holds a special place in my heart as a culinary playground. The sheer variety, not just in noodle shapes but in the endless combinations of sauces and flavors, always inspires me to experiment. Recently, I had the pleasure of hosting some dear friends for a delightful get-together by our pool. Thanks to the clever versatility of Kraft products, the evening was not only easy and enjoyable but also incredibly delicious!
My journey to a stress-free party began at my local Walmart. While I was already there tackling my back-to-school shopping list, I decided to pop over to the grocery section to gather supplies for our gathering. It was in the dairy aisle that I discovered my secret weapon for the night – three tubs of delicious Kraft Dips.
Have you noticed the sleek new packaging for Kraft Dips? I absolutely adore the updated look! But don’t worry, while the outside might be fresh and modern, the incredible flavor you’ve always loved remains just as good as ever. This consistent quality makes them a reliable choice for any occasion, from casual snacking to creative cooking.
As I planned my creamy pasta sauce, I knew exactly which dip I wanted: the Kraft Green Onion dip. You wouldn’t believe my luck – I managed to snag the very last one on the shelf! It felt like a sign that this dish was destined to be a hit.
Wait, what? Are you surprised at the idea of using Kraft Dips *in* a recipe? Do you usually only picture them alongside a bag of chips? Well, get ready to have your mind (and taste buds!) blown. This unexpected ingredient is about to revolutionize your weeknight dinners and party menus. Keep reading, because you are absolutely going to love this innovative approach!
Beyond the delicious pasta, I’m also thrilled to share some invaluable tips I’ve gathered for throwing a truly stress-free poolside dinner party. Hosting should be fun for everyone, including you!
How to Host an Unforgettable, Stress-Free Poolside Dinner Party
Let’s get this party started! Ever since we added a pool to our backyard, parties just feel so much more vibrant and enjoyable. There’s something inherently festive about gathering around the water. I especially love incorporating bright, colorful party accessories to complement the poolside setting. Just look at these adorable flip-flop invitations and the clever pool float serving dishes! I couldn’t wait to put them to use and create a truly immersive summer vibe.
I suppose I’m a bit “old school” when it comes to entertaining. I still appreciate the charm of handwritten invitations arriving in the mail, and I’m a firm believer in the power of a thoughtful thank you card (but that’s a topic for another day!). For most events, I typically send out invitations 10 to 14 days beforehand. This timeframe is ideal: it gives guests enough time to mark their calendars without being so far in advance that they forget all about it. Clear communication and a touch of traditional etiquette go a long way in making guests feel truly welcome.
One crucial lesson I’ve learned, often the hard way, is to capture all my party photos *before* guests arrive. Once everyone is having fun, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment. You might end up snapping photos while people are eating, which can feel intrusive, or worse, you might forget to take any pictures at all and kick yourself the next day. A quick photoshoot before the doors open ensures you have beautiful memories to look back on.
Setting the Scene: Welcoming Guests with Appetizers and Drinks
When company arrives, I like to have a selection of light munchies laid out. This allows everyone, including myself, to relax a bit, enjoy a cocktail, and socialize without feeling rushed. The key is not to put out so much food that guests are too full for dinner, or worse, need a nap before the main course even begins!
For our poolside gathering, I set up a small camping table next to our pool house bar. I draped it with a vibrant blue tablecloth to match our theme and arranged the snacks conveniently close to the bar. This allowed guests easy access to their favorite libations or our signature cocktail for the evening, a refreshing Moscow Mule. Having drinks and appetizers in one centralized, accessible location truly streamlines the guest experience.
To add a touch of rustic charm and visual interest, I incorporated my burlap placemats and pennants. Burlap has been a fantastic decorating material for me lately; its natural texture and versatility make it incredibly popular and suitable for many themes, including a relaxed outdoor party. It helps to ground the vibrant colors and adds a cozy feel.
For our appetizers, I utilized my fun, pool-themed dishes to serve up the delightful Kraft Bacon and Cheddar Dip alongside a colorful array of fresh veggies. I’m particularly fond of carrot chips for dipping; they offer a satisfying crunch and a hint of sweetness. The rich, savory flavor of the Bacon and Cheddar dip paired perfectly with the crisp vegetables, offering a lighter option that still felt indulgent.
And as much as I’d love to tell you I only ate veggies, I simply can’t! Potato chips and Kraft French Onion Dip are my absolute favorite snack combination. The beauty of Kraft dips is that their containers are so festive and attractive on their own. I simply popped the tub of French Onion Dip right into the middle of a fun serving plate and artfully arranged the potato chips around it. It’s a simple trick that looks both appealing and makes serving effortless. Cute, right?
Setting the Mood: The Perfect Soundtrack for Your Gathering
Another key ingredient for a truly successful party is the right music. My husband and I adore listening to island-inspired music when we’re relaxing in our backyard. It creates such a soothing, enjoyable, and easy-on-the-ears atmosphere. I suppose we’ve reached an age where good conversation and a gentle reggae station playing in the background far outweigh loud music that forces you to shout just to be heard. We particularly love Bob Marley’s station on Pandora; it consistently provides the perfect laid-back soundtrack for our gatherings, encouraging relaxation and easy conversation among friends.
After everyone had a chance to mingle, catch up, enjoy a refreshing cocktail, and nibble on some delicious snacks, I called everyone over to the table for dinner. The transition from casual appetizers to the main meal felt smooth and natural, a testament to thoughtful planning.
Dinner is Served: Thoughtful Table Settings and Easy Meal Prep
I set our bar-height table, continuing the theme of colorful linens to maintain the festive poolside ambiance. When dining by the pool, I’m a firm believer in using plastic barware. Guests tend to walk around with their drinks, and plastic minimizes the risk of breakage. However, when it comes to plates, I generally prefer non-paper options, as they feel a bit more substantial and elegant. The exception, of course, is when I’m entertaining families with children – then, durable paper plates are absolutely the way to go for convenience and safety.
To ensure everyone had their preferred drinkware, I set out stemless plastic wine glasses for the men and my fun, pink, more “girly” ones for the gals. I also like to thoughtfully arrange seating around the table, alternating boy-girl-boy-girl. This simple trick encourages more integrated conversation among all guests, rather than the common tendency for adults to cluster into separate male and female discussion groups, which can sometimes divide the flow of conversation.
There’s absolutely no need for super fancy centerpieces to make an impact. For our table, I had my daughter pick some beautiful Zinnias right from our garden. We simply removed the leaves, trimmed the stems short, and arranged them artfully in a vase. To tie it into our theme, I added a small pop of blue color around the top of the vase. The result was a charming, natural centerpiece that was low enough to allow for easy conversation across the table, without any visual obstruction.
Our meal featured a light, refreshing salad and a generous serving of this incredibly tasty creamy chicken pasta, made with the star ingredient: Kraft Green Onion Dip. This dish was the highlight, offering a comforting yet sophisticated flavor profile that truly impressed our guests.
The Star Dish: Creamy Chicken Pasta with Green Onion Dip
This pasta dish comes together incredibly quickly, making it ideal for entertaining without spending hours in the kitchen. The process begins with a quick sear of the chicken in a hot skillet, locking in its juices and flavor. Then, tender baby bella mushrooms and aromatic onions are sautéed until perfectly tender, building a rich flavor base. The magic happens when the Kraft Green Onion Dip is added, along with some chicken stock and a few simple seasonings. The sauce then simmers gently, allowing the chicken to become wonderfully tender and the flavors to meld beautifully. While the sauce is simmering, your pasta cooks to al dente perfection. Once everything is ready, simply toss it all together, and *BAM!* Dinner is done and ready to impress. We all agreed that this versatile sauce would also be absolutely wonderful served over a bed of fluffy rice.
Safety first in the kitchen! Ensuring your chicken is cooked to the proper temperature is vital for both flavor and food safety. A reliable meat thermometer is an indispensable tool for any home cook, and it removes all guesswork.
Don’t ever second-guess if your chicken is perfectly done. ThisThermapen Mk4is hands down the best meat thermometer I have ever owned, providing instant and accurate readings every time.
With a light mixed baby greens salad served on the side, our dinner was complete and ready to be enjoyed! My philosophy when hosting is to cook for my guests, but not to be chained to the kitchen while everyone else is having a fantastic time. This creamy chicken pasta recipe perfectly embodies that ethos: it was easy to prepare ahead of time and served hot when we were all ready. Clean-up was also a breeze, which is a major bonus. Who wants to be doing a mountain of dishes when everyone else is happily swimming or gathered around the fire pit? Certainly not me!
The evening gracefully drew to a close after a light, refreshing dessert of fresh berries and whipped cream, a final night swim under the stars, some engaging storytelling around the cozy fire pit, and a relaxing nightcap. It was an evening filled with laughter, good food, and cherished memories.
Cheers to wonderful memories and the joy of good friends!
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Print Recipe
Creamy Chicken Pasta with Green Onions & Mushrooms #DipYourWay
Equipment
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Thermapen Mk4 Instant-read Thermometer
Ingredients
- 4-6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts about 1.5 pounds, cut into bite-sized pieces for quicker cooking
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 medium onion chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 8 ounce package of baby Bella mushrooms rough chopped or sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced for aromatic flavor
- 1 Tablespoon dried Oregano
- 2-3 green onions sliced, for garnish and flavor
- 1 cup Kraft Green Onion Dip
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup corn starch dissolved in 1/2 cup water for thickening the sauce
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1 pound Fettuccine pasta or your favorite pasta shape
- Fresh Parmesan cheese for topping, freshly grated if possible
Instructions
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Lightly sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
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In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add the seasoned chicken breasts to the hot pan. Sear each side for about 2-3 minutes, just until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate. It does not need to be cooked through at this stage.
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Reduce the heat to medium. To the drippings remaining in the skillet, add the chopped baby bella mushrooms and diced onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onions are translucent, which typically takes about 3-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and dried oregano, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
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Pour in the chicken stock and add the Kraft Green Onion Dip to the pan. Whisk continuously until the dip is fully incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Return the seared chicken to the pan. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Use your Thermapen Mk4 to ensure chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
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Stir in the cornstarch and water mixture. Continue to simmer gently, stirring, until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
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Toss the cooked pasta directly into the creamy chicken and mushroom sauce, ensuring every strand is coated. Serve immediately, topped generously with sliced green onions and fresh Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Your Next Gathering Made Simple and Delicious
So, the next time you find yourself planning a fun get-together for your friends, a special poolside dinner, or even just a delightful family meal, remember: there’s no need to get overwhelmed or stressed! Creating a memorable and delicious experience is truly as easy as a little thoughtful planning, a quick and convenient trip to Walmart, and the versatile, delicious magic of Kraft dips! These simple ingredients and planning tips empower you to be a relaxed and happy host, enjoying the company of your guests as much as they enjoy your incredible food.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore a fantastic array of innovative recipes on Kraft.com. From appetizers to main courses, you’ll discover countless ways to incorporate these flavorful dips into your cooking repertoire. Which delicious recipe will you try first?