Description
This Quick Creamy Chicken Pasta is the answer to your busiest weeknights. It delivers a restaurant-quality, comforting meal in under 30 minutes, using simple ingredients. A velvety, luxurious sauce clings perfectly to every piece of tender chicken and al dente pasta.
Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
12 oz penne pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta is cooking, season the chicken cubes generously with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
5. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and melted.
7. Add the drained pasta and the cooked chicken back to the skillet. Toss to combine, coating everything in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved-pasta-water to reach your desired consistency.
8. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
For a richer sauce, use all heavy cream instead of the broth/cream combination.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for a subtle kick of heat.
Stir in a cup of fresh spinach at the end until it wilts for added nutrients.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 590 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg