Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
This Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta is the kind of recipe you make when you want to impress people, but it’s also great when everyone at the table is hungry and wants a delicious meal.
Chicken and Mushroom Pasta represents a dish characterized by understated elegance and a sense of timelessness. This meal is rich without being fussy; it is also comforting and light, packed with mushroom flavor. The creamy sauce is complemented by tender chicken breast, mushrooms, onions, leeks, and garlic, tossed with penne pasta.
The slightly unusual part is how the chicken is cooked. Instead of searing the breast until it dries out and becomes chewy, gently shallow-poach it with butter and seasoning. It sounds a little fancy, but it is actually very simple—and the result is wonderfully tender chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Chicken Pasta
The chicken is soft and tender, and mushrooms offer a savory, earthy depth to the sauce. Pasta water keeps the sauce smooth and easy to toss. You can adapt this recipe by using deboned chicken thighs instead of chicken breast; cremini mushrooms and oyster mushrooms also work well. We love recipes that feel like a proper dinner without spending an entire evening in the kitchen.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast, Onions, Leeks, White Button Mushrooms, Garlic cloves, Paprika powder, White Pepper Powder, Salt, Penne Pasta, and Fresh Cream.
We used chicken breast for this recipe, which gives the pasta a light, tender taste. You can make this recipe vegetarian by using extra mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, or roasted red peppers. For a seafood version, use shrimp or white fish such as hake, haddock, or Nile perch.
When it comes to mushrooms, you have a few choices for this recipe. We chose white button mushrooms; they are the same species as cremini mushrooms, but they are younger and have a mild, delicate flavor. For a deeper and more robust flavor, use cremini mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms have a lighter taste.
Onions, leeks, and garlic create a savory base for the sauce, as long as you caramelize them for a few minutes. Penne works especially well because the ridges and hollow center catch the creamy mushroom sauce. Cook the pasta until al dente, so it retains some texture when tossed with the hot sauce.
Fresh cream creates the rich, smooth consistency that makes this a classic creamy chicken mushroom pasta. The goal is a sauce thick enough to coat the pasta but loose enough for the penne to move through easily.
Paprika contributes gentle warmth and a beautiful touch of colour. White pepper adds seasoning while keeping the cream sauce visually smooth and pale.
Instructions
Wash the chicken breast and cut it into cubes. Add water to a pot, and add the chicken breast with butter, salt, and white pepper. The chicken will shallow-poach for six to eight minutes on medium-high heat. The chicken breast will turn from pink to white. After it is done, switch off the heat and set it aside.
Slice the onions, garlic cloves, and leeks. Add cooking oil to a pan, then set the temperature and the heat to medium-low. Add the onions and sauté for six minutes, then add the garlic and leeks. Sauté for an additional two minutes. Add the caramelized onions, leeks, and garlic to the same pan as the shallow-poached chicken.
Peel the mushrooms and wash them under running water. Add it to the pan. Sauté it for six minutes until cooked. After the mushrooms are cooked, add them to the pot and mix them in. During that time, boil one pot of water to cook the pasta. Set the timer. After the water is at a rolling boil, add the penne pasta and cook for eight minutes, until al dente.
Now, to the Chicken & Mushroom pasta sauce, add the fresh cream to the mushrooms and chicken. Add paprika powder to add a touch of heat and colour to the creamy sauce.
Mix the ingredients well and lightly heat the mixture—reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. Add the penne pasta to the creamy mixture. On medium-low heat, add the pasta water and mix until the sauce is smooth and silky.
Serve the dish with grated Parmesan cheese and sliced parsley to add more character and flavor. You can also add crunchiness to the pasta with some crispy croutons. This Creamy Chicken and Mushroom dish is a recipe that you will add to your meal rotation.
How to Make the Creamiest Chicken Mushroom Pasta
The secret isn’t simply adding more cream. A good creamy pasta sauce should be rich enough to coat the pasta while staying fluid and silky. Cooking the chicken gently keeps the chicken breast moist, and shallow poaching maintains juiciness. The shallow-poaching method maintains a tender texture. Al dente pasta, along with starchy pasta water, helps loosen the sauce and gives the pasta a glossy appearance. Avoid exposing the cream to high heat, as it can cause the sauce to split.
Can I Use a Different Pasta Shape?
Absolutely. Penne is ideal because the creamy mushroom sauce gets inside the tubes, but you can also use other pastas such as fettuccini, farfalle, tagliatelle, and fusilli.
What to Serve with Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Pasta?
A Classic Caesar salad is a great choice because the crisp lettuce and tangy dressing will complement the pasta’s flavors. You can leave out the chicken in the Caesar salad since the main dish already has it. A Rocket and red pepper salad pairs well with this pasta. If you want to highlight the garlic taste, consider serving buttery Garlic bread or bruschetta with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Explore Italian recipes, Pasta recipes.
How to Store Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Pasta?
Cream-based pasta dishes tend to absorb the sauce over time. It is best to cool the dish down and allow the pasta to cool slightly. Store in an airtight container for 3to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop on low heat or place in the microwave for 15 to 25 seconds to warm up.
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta is an easy, comforting dinner made with tender chicken, sautéed mushrooms, penne pasta, and a rich, silky Parmesan cream sauce. Finished with fresh parsley, it’s a simple yet flavorful meal that comes together quickly for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 250 grams Chicken Breast
- 100 ml Fresh Cream
- 200 grams Penne Pasta
- 3 tbsp Cooking oil
Vegetables
- 7 Garlic Cloves – sliced.
- 1 Onion – sliced.
- 250 grams Mushrooms – sliced.
- 20 grams Leeks – sliced.
Spices
- ½ tsp Paprika Powder
- ½ tsp White Pepper Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
Garnish
- 10 grams Parsley – optional.
- 20 grams Parmesan Cheese – optional.
Instructions
- Shallow Poach the Chicken: Wash and cube the chicken breast. In a pot, combine chicken, butter, salt, and white pepper. Shallow-poach on medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until cooked through. Set aside.
- Sauté: Slice onions, garlic, and leeks—heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Sauté onions for 6 minutes, then add garlic and leeks for an additional 2 minutes. Combine with the chicken in the same pan.
- Mushrooms and cook the pasta: Clean and slice the mushrooms. Sauté in the pan for 6 minutes, then mix with the chicken and vegetables. Boil water and cook penne pasta for 8 minutes until al dente.
- Add the seasonings: Add fresh cream and paprika to the chicken and mushroom mixture. Heat gently and mix, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. Combine the cooked penne with the sauce, adding the reserved pasta water to achieve a smooth consistency. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, sliced parsley, and optional crispy croutons.
Nutrition
Calories: 785kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1568mg | Potassium: 1266mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 681IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 3mg
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