Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
Creamy, garlicky pasta tossed with tender chicken and mushrooms, then finished with parmesan and fresh parsley. Pure comfort in a bowl. Flavor-packed with garlic, parmesan, mushrooms - yes please!
Servings 4
Calories 812kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion
- 8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms more if you like!
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped fresh - optional
Instructions
- Peel and dice the onion. Mince the garlic cloves. Slice the mushrooms. Chop the parsley. Grate the parmesan. Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces. Measure out the cream, salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.12 ounces penne pasta
- Season the diced chicken with salt and pepper.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Add chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add a little more oil if needed. Sauté onion for 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Add mushrooms and cook another 5 to 6 minutes until browned and tender. Stir in garlic and cook 1 more minute.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small onion, 8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, 3 garlic cloves
- Pour in the heavy cream. Add oregano, red pepper flakes, and a pinch more salt and pepper. Let it simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.1 1/4 cups heavy cream, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Return the chicken and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat everything in the sauce. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and butter and let it melt into the sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley just before serving.½ cup parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons parsley
Notes
- Cut the chicken evenly so it cooks at the same rate and stays juicy.
- Don’t overcook the pasta – stop at al dente since it’ll finish cooking a bit in the sauce.
- Use freshly grated parmesan if you can! It melts more smoothly than pre-shredded.
- Reserve pasta water before draining – it’s your best trick for loosening up a thick sauce without watering it down.
- Adjust the heat by adding more or less red pepper flakes based on your spice preference.
- About the pasta. You can use rotini, bowties, or any short pasta you have. If you skirt the rules (you little rebel, you) and use 1lb vs 12oz, remember you’ll need to increase the sauce amounts.
Nutrition
Calories: 812kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 960mg | Potassium: 1005mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1502IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 2mg
