Easy Creamy Chicken Pasta
A rich, velvety pasta dish featuring tender seared chicken and a smooth cream sauce. You can keep it simple or mix in extras like spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes.
Print
Pin
Servings: 4
-
Save
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast
- Salt/pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup flour
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 ¼ cups half and half (equal parts light cream and milk)
- ¾ cups chicken broth
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese (see notes)
- ½ lb pasta (any shape)
- 1 cup pasta water, optional
- 1 lemon, optional
- ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic salt, oregano, basil, mustard powder, parsley (all dried)
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Stir the half and half, chicken broth, and all listed seasonings together in a large measuring cup and set aside. Gather and portion out the remaining ingredients. Place a measuring cup inside the colander you’ll use later as a reminder to save pasta water.
- Cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise to form 2–4 thinner pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to about 1-inch thickness. Pat dry. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Dust each piece with flour and rub it in so it coats the surface.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned. Remove from the pan, let it rest for 10 minutes, then slice into strips.
- Start heating water for the pasta.
- Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan so the browned bits mix into the liquid—they add depth to the sauce. Allow the chicken broth to bubble gently and reduce by about half, roughly 3–4 minutes.
- Add the butter and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Slowly drizzle in the reserved half-and-half/broth mixture, stirring nonstop so the sauce thickens evenly. Add the bouillon cube. Bring just to a light simmer, then turn the heat to low and partially cover the pan.
- Salt the boiling water generously, then add the pasta. Cook until just al dente and stir occasionally. Drain the pasta, making sure to hold on to 1 cup of pasta water.
- Gradually add both cheeses to the sauce while stirring so they melt smoothly.
- Add the drained pasta and gently fold it into the sauce. Add the sliced chicken and any juices left on the plate and toss again.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, use small amounts of pasta water to loosen it to your liking. (This trick also helps when reheating leftovers.)
- Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if you like, plus parsley for garnish.
- Pasta: Any shape is fine; shells, fettuccine, linguine, and farfalle all perform well.
- Cheese: Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-shredded. Use all Parmesan if Romano isn’t available.
- Sauce Tips: Add the cheese only when the sauce is no longer very hot to prevent curdling or graininess.
- Bouillon: Better Than Bouillon is a convenient option, but the sauce will still taste good without bouillon if you don’t have it.
- Optional Flavor Boosters: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, or honey (1 tsp each) can be mixed into the broth mixture in the first step to subtly enhance flavor.
- Optional Add-Ins: Roasted broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or cherry tomatoes all pair nicely. Cook mushrooms separately before adding them.
- Crunchy Topping Idea: Crisp panko breadcrumbs in butter and sprinkle over the finished pasta.