The Best Creamy Chicken Pasta Recipe

Welcome to your new favorite weeknight dinner! This creamy chicken pasta recipe delivers incredible flavor with minimal effort, making it a dependable choice for busy evenings. It’s the ultimate comfort food, blending tender chicken with a luxurious, velvety sauce that coats every strand of pasta. You’ll love the rich, savory taste brightened with a hint of lemon, creating a perfectly balanced and utterly delicious meal.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Pasta Recipe

This delightful chicken pasta recipe will quickly become a household staple, simplifying your cooking without sacrificing taste.

• It comes together in under 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
• The sauce is incredibly rich, creamy, and packed with savory flavor.
• Ingredients are simple and easy to find, yet produce impressive results.
• It’s a wonderfully comforting and satisfying family dinner everyone will enjoy.
• You can easily customize it with your favorite vegetables or different herbs.

Ingredients

Creating this simple yet delicious chicken pasta recipe starts with fresh, quality ingredients. This list provides everything you need to build layers of flavor in your creamy sauce and perfectly cooked chicken.

• Pasta: 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh pasta (fettuccine, rigatoni, linguine are great choices)
• Chicken: 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon, for cooking chicken
• Flour: 1 tablespoon, for dusting chicken (optional, but helps with browning)
• Butter: 1 tablespoon, for sautéing aromatics
• Garlic: 3 cloves, finely chopped, for aromatic depth
• Fresh Rosemary: 1 tablespoon fresh leaves, roughly chopped, for distinctive flavor
• Cream: ¾ cup cream (single, light, or heavy cream, depending on preference)
• Black Pepper: 1 teaspoon, freshly ground, for seasoning
• Lemon Juice: 1 tablespoon, to brighten and balance richness
• Parmesan Cheese: 50 grams, very finely grated, essential for a silky sauce
• Garnish: Lemon zest and extra rosemary to finish

Notes & Substitutions

You can easily adapt this pasta with chicken to suit your taste. Chicken thighs offer more juiciness and flavor, but breast meat cooks faster. For the cream, use heavy cream for the richest sauce or light/single cream for a slightly lighter option. Always opt for freshly grated Parmesan; pre-grated varieties contain anti-caking agents that can make the sauce gritty. Try fresh thyme or sage if rosemary isn’t your favorite, and any long pasta shape will work well.

Optional Additions

Elevate your creamy chicken pasta with these easy additions:

• Add sliced mushrooms, toasted until golden, for an earthy flavor.
• Stir in fresh vegetables like broccoli florets, zucchini, or spinach.
• Crispy bacon pieces provide a delightful salty crunch.
• A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a gentle warmth and subtle heat.

Equipment

You don’t need fancy tools to master this delightful chicken pasta recipe. A few standard kitchen items are all it takes to get this dish on the table.

• Large skillet or fry pan
• Large pot for cooking pasta
• Cutting board and sharp knife
• Rolling pin (for flattening chicken)
• Microplane or box grater (for Parmesan)
• Spider strainer or tongs (for pasta)

Instructions

Follow these simple steps to create a truly irresistible creamy chicken pasta recipe, perfect for any night of the week.

1. Cook the Pasta

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Season the water generously with salt – it should taste like the sea. Add your pasta and cook it according to package directions, undercooking by one minute. This allows it to finish cooking in the sauce. Before draining, reserve about one cup of the starchy pasta water; it’s key for building a perfect sauce.

2. Prepare the Chicken

Place the chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to an even thickness of about 1-1.5 cm. This ensures the chicken cooks quickly and evenly. Season both sides of the flattened breast well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you like, lightly dust each side with flour; this helps create a lovely golden crust.

3. Pan-Fry the Chicken

Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add the seasoned chicken breast to the hot pan. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until it’s beautifully golden brown and fully cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan, lightly wrap it in foil, and set it aside to rest while you make the sauce.

4. Make the Creamy Sauce

Using the same pan (don’t clean it, those bits are flavor!), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and gently fry it for about one minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown. Stir in the fresh rosemary and cook for another 30 seconds to release its aroma. Pour in the cream and bring it to a very gentle simmer. Keep the heat low to prevent it from boiling rapidly, which can cause the sauce to separate.

Now, gradually add the finely grated Parmesan cheese in 2 or 3 separate batches, stirring constantly until each addition has fully melted into the cream before adding more. This ensures a smooth, lump-free sauce. Stir in the freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice; the lemon brightens the rich sauce beautifully. Finally, add about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce. Let it gently simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and becomes wonderfully silky. This extra starch from the pasta water helps emulsify and thicken the sauce.

5. Combine & Serve

Add the undercooked pasta directly into the pan with the creamy sauce. Toss everything together, ensuring every strand of pasta is thoroughly coated. Let it gently bubble away for another minute or two; this allows the pasta to absorb more flavor and finish cooking to a perfect al dente. Slice the rested chicken breast into desired pieces. Serve the creamy pasta immediately, either with the chicken pieces artfully arranged on top or mixed directly into the pasta. Finish your delicious chicken pasta recipe with a sprinkle of extra fresh rosemary leaves, a generous grating of lemon zest, and perhaps a little more Parmesan cheese for good measure.

Pro Tips & Troubleshooting

Achieving the perfect creamy chicken pasta is easy with these helpful tips. These insights will help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure a restaurant-quality meal every time.

• Evenly Cooked Chicken: Flattening the chicken breast before cooking is crucial. It ensures uniform thickness, leading to quick and even cooking without dry spots.
• Gentle Simmer is Key: When making your creamy sauce, always keep the heat low. A gentle simmer prevents the cream from splitting or reducing too quickly, maintaining a smooth texture.
• Al Dente Pasta: Cook your pasta just shy of al dente in the boiling water. For pasta, cooking “al dente” is a fundamental concept in Italian cuisine, ensuring a pleasing texture that is firm to the bite. It will finish cooking in the hot sauce, absorbing flavors and achieving the ideal texture.
• Pasta Water Magic: Don’t skip reserving pasta water! Its starch helps to emulsify and thicken the sauce, creating a silky, cohesive consistency that clings beautifully to the pasta.
• Salting Pasta Water: Season your pasta water generously with salt. This is your first and best chance to season the pasta itself, adding fundamental flavor to the entire dish.
• Preventing Sauce Breakage: Cream-based sauces are delicate. Understanding the science behind sauces, such as how to fix a broken sauce, can help you achieve a perfectly smooth consistency. Avoid high heat or adding cold ingredients abruptly, which can shock the sauce and cause it to curdle or split.

Serving, Storage & Variations

This versatile chicken pasta recipe is fantastic on its own, but these suggestions will help you make the most of it.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this creamy chicken pasta with warm, crusty garlic bread to soak up every last bit of the delicious sauce.
• Pair it with a fresh, vibrant green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette to cut through the richness.
• For an adult meal, a light-bodied white wine like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc complements the flavors beautifully.

Storage Instructions

• Store any leftover creamy chicken pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
• When reheating, do so gently over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of water or a little extra cream to loosen the sauce as it tends to thicken upon cooling.
• Keep in mind that creamy sauces with pasta don’t always reheat to their initial perfection, but they will still be delicious.

Recipe Variations

• Vegetarian: Simply omit the chicken and add extra vegetables like roasted bell peppers or a medley of sautéed mushrooms.
• Different Proteins: Swap the chicken for succulent sautéed shrimp, spicy Italian sausage, or crispy rendered pancetta for a flavorful twist.
• Herb Swaps: Experiment with fresh thyme, chopped fresh parsley, or a blend of Italian seasoning instead of rosemary.
• Cheesy Boost: Stir in a handful of shredded mozzarella or a dollop of cream cheese along with the Parmesan for an even cheesier, richer sauce.
• Spice It Up: Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to the garlic and rosemary step for a pleasant kick of heat.

Nutrition

Here’s an estimated nutritional breakdown for one serving of this creamy chicken pasta recipe, based on the provided ingredients. Please remember these are approximations and can vary based on specific brands and exact portion sizes.

Disclaimer: These nutritional values are estimates only. The actual values may vary depending on the specific ingredients, brands, and cooking methods used.

FAQ

Got questions about this easy chicken pasta recipe? We’ve got answers to help you perfect this dish!

• Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast? Yes, absolutely! Chicken thighs add more flavor and tend to stay juicier. Just ensure you adjust the cooking time slightly as thighs may take a little longer to cook through.
• What is the best pasta shape for creamy sauces? Longer pasta shapes like fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti are excellent because they hold the creamy sauce well. Tubular shapes like rigatoni or penne also work nicely, trapping sauce inside.
• Can I make this chicken pasta ahead of time? While best served fresh, you can make it ahead. Reheat gently with a splash of water or cream on the stovetop. Be aware that creamy sauces can thicken and sometimes separate a little when reheated.
• What kind of cream should I use? Light cream or single cream will yield a lighter sauce. For a truly rich, indulgent sauce that holds up well, heavy cream (whipping cream) is your best bet.
• Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Yes, you can easily adapt this dish! Simply use your favorite gluten-free pasta and substitute the flour for dusting the chicken with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend or omit it entirely.
• Why is my creamy sauce splitting? Sauces often split if they are heated too quickly or to too high a temperature. Adding cold ingredients too rapidly can also shock the cream. Keep the heat low and add ingredients gradually for a smooth sauce.

Conclusion

This creamy chicken pasta recipe is truly a game-changer for anyone seeking a delicious, comforting meal that’s both quick and simple to prepare. Its rich, velvety sauce, tender chicken, and bright lemon notes create a flavor profile that’s sure to delight your family and friends. We encourage you to try this versatile dish and discover just how easy it is to create something so impressive. If you enjoyed this recipe, please share your thoughts, rate it, and explore more of our easy, beginner-friendly meals. For more pasta inspiration, check out our other popular dishes like our simple pesto pasta or classic spaghetti carbonara!