Tinis Creamy Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender shredded chicken combined with penne pasta in a silky, garlic-infused cream sauce with Parmesan.

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz penne pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (approximately 12 oz)

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - ½ cup chicken broth
09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water, and set pasta aside.
02 - In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Pour in chicken broth, simmer for 2 minutes while scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
04 - Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Add grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella, stirring continuously until cheeses melt and sauce becomes smooth.
05 - Add dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper to the sauce. Stir to combine.
06 - Add shredded chicken and cooked penne to the skillet. Toss gently to coat everything in the sauce. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is achieved.
07 - Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and extra grated Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which is a lifesaver on busy weeknights when youre too tired to think.
  • The sauce is so silky and rich that it tastes like youve been simmering it for hours, but really its just cream, cheese, and a little patience.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken straight from the store, which means no extra cooking and practically no prep work.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully the next day, and sometimes they taste even better once the flavors have had time to settle in.
02 -
  • If you add the cream while the heat is too high, it can break and turn grainy, so always lower the flame before pouring it in.
  • Dont skip reserving that pasta water because its the best way to adjust the sauce without watering down the flavor.
  • Freshly grated cheese melts much better than pre-shredded, which often has anti-caking agents that make the sauce gritty.
03 -
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta and adjust the salt and pepper then, because its harder to season evenly once everything is mixed together.
  • If you want an even richer sauce, stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese along with the other cheeses for extra body and tang.
  • Let the pasta rest in the sauce for a minute or two off the heat before serving so it absorbs some of that creamy goodness.
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