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Pasta Milano (Copycat Macaroni Grill)

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Pasta Milano

Pasta Milano Macaroni Grill Copycat – A homemade version of Macaroni Grill’s Pasta Milano. A creamy garlic and sundried tomato sauce, with chicken and mushrooms, over bowtie pasta

Pasta Milano - A homemade version of Macaroni Grill's Pasta Milano. A creamy garlic and sundried tomato sauce, with chicken and mushrooms, over bowtie pasta

Have any of your kids ever done Lego Robotics?  Can we just talk for a second about how crazy it is!  My son’s school has always had quite a few teams in the past.  This year they did not get a teacher willing to take on all the work (I honestly don’t blame them).  My son had been looking forward to it for forever, and so had one of his good friends.  So we got talking, and after a few meetings we started a team with our son’s friends.

We have eight 4th grade boys on our team.  Fortunately, we have been able to meet at the school and use their supplies, or it wouldn’t have happened.  But holy cow, is it a lot of work!  My husband is the techy guy, so he is helping the kids with the technical and building side of things.  We are meeting 3 times a week, and there is so much more involved than just building a robot.  This will be an amazing experience for the kids, but I am a little over whelmed with how much we have to accomplish in just 2 months.

Pasta Milano - A homemade version of Macaroni Grill's Pasta Milano. A creamy garlic and sundried tomato sauce, with chicken and mushrooms, over bowtie pasta

I love going out to lunch and dinner.  I mean, who doesn’t?  But sometimes it is just too much work.  Driving there, waiting for a table, all of the other crazy people around, and sometimes having to deal with the sub-par wait staff.  So, as much as I like a night off, sometimes I just want to stay home! And I love making some of my favorite restaurant favorites at home!  Idaho Nachos from Granite City are always a hit. Or maybe another pasta dish?  Copycat Panera Macaroni and Cheese!

When we lived in Minnesota (seems like a lifetime ago) we had a Macaroni Grill in town.  It was one of my favorite restaurants.  I loved their Pasta Milano.  In Iowa we did not have one, and now in Colorado the one in town is less than a stellar location.  So I haven’t really been there in a long time.  That means I have to make my own version of my favorite Pasta Milano at home! With some Cheesy Garlic Bread on the side for good measure.

Pasta Milano {Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts}

My version of Pasta Milano is a little lightened up from the original.  Feel free to use more butter and heavy cream if you want it rich and super creamy.  I want to be able to enjoy it more often, so I go just a little lighter.  It comes together in about 25 minutes too, so it is great for a quick weeknight dinner.

Pasta Milano is a great one skillet meal that the whole family will devour.  Plus, the leftovers are great for lunch the next day.  I served with a salad and a little crusty bread for a complete meal. Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese is another easy dinner my family goes crazy for.

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3.67 from 6 votes
Pasta Milano - a copycat of a Macaroni Grill favorite
Print
Pasta Milano (Copycat Macaroni Grill)
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
A homemade version of Macaroni Grill's Pasta Milano. A creamy garlic and sundried tomato sauce, with chicken and mushrooms, over bowtie pasta.
Course: Main Course
Servings: 6
Calories: 623 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 pound chicken , cut into bit sized pieces
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 (12 oz) package mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup onion , finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes , chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup half-and-half
  • 1 Tbls butter
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbls fresh basil , finely chopped
  • 1 pound Farfalle (bowtie pasta)
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
  2. In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken, cook for 5-6 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove from pan, and keep warm.
  3. Return pan to heat. Add mushrooms, onions, garlic, and sun dried tomatoes. Cook until onions are tender and the mushrooms are golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken back to the pan.
  4. In a 2 cup measuring cup combine half-and-half, butter, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and basil. Pour over chicken and mushroom mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes until everything is heated through.
  5. Add cooked pasta to the pan, and toss to coat.
  6. Serve immediately. Top with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Pasta Milano (Copycat Macaroni Grill)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 623 Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 90mg 30%
Sodium 257mg 11%
Potassium 768mg 22%
Total Carbohydrates 67g 22%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Sugars 6g
Protein 30g 60%
Vitamin A 13.1%
Vitamin C 9.8%
Calcium 20.9%
Iron 15.4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Comments

  7. I’ve never ate at Macaroni Grill (hard to believe), but this would totally be the type of meal I would order if I saw this on their menu. Will definitely be putting this on my to-make list.

    Reply

  10. Sometimes I think takeout at home is even BETTER than actual takeout. This pasta sounds great!! Hopefully it keeps you fueled through all those lego sessions….

    Reply

    • I lived around the Cities until I was 10, then after college I lived in Rochester for a few years. Now in Colorado! Small world!

      Reply

  18. This looks really yummy. I’m looking forward to making it sometime.

    I didn’t do lego robotics in middle school, but I did join my school’s robotics team in high school. Actually, our team was not affiliated with our school; we were a Boy Scouts venture crew, but most of our members were from my school, so it was basically the same thing, but we played up our freedom to recruit from other schools a lot. It was seriously a lot of fun helping the rest of my team design/build/program the big 120 lb. machines the high school level teams make. Our team was very big on the students doing all of the work instead of the mentors, so we all learned a lot of useful skills. Is your son’s team a FIRST team?

    Reply

    • Thanks Deanna! His team was part of the First Lego League. They loved it, and did such a great job. Great organization!

      Reply

  19. This recipe sounds amazing and I have always enjoyed Macaroni Grill! Have you or anyone tried a “healthier” version with substitutions for the half & half, butter, etc.??? I would love any suggestions!!!

    Reply

    • I have only tried it as written. 1 Tbls of butter for an entire recipe does not bother me. I have seen similar recipes that use a ton more butter and heavy cream. This is my lightened up version of those.

      Reply

  20. More than 10 years ago, my son worked at MG and introduced me to Pasta Milano. Hadn’t had it in years as the restaurant is no longer convenient to where I live. A few days ago, my family got together at a new location close to home and it was “okay.” The biggest disappointment was that they no longer have prosciutto in the Pasta Milano. WHAT? That was what gave it its tremendous flavor. Yes, garlic and cream sauce are good, and mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes are okay too, but the combination of all of the above with the seasonings and PROSCIUTTO made the dish. We still make it with prosciutto at home, but how sad that so many evidently have never had it that way. Want to make this dish REALLY good? Cut back on the tomatoes and dice some prosciutto for the real deal. Let me know if you like it!

    Reply

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