Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pasta (Printable version)

Tender chicken and mushrooms in a creamy sauce served over pasta for a satisfying dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 9 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dairy & Liquids

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
09 - 1/4 cup chicken broth
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pasta

11 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Prepare pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente as per package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sauté until golden and fully cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm.
03 - Add remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet. Sauté onions and mushrooms until softened and browned, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Deglaze the skillet with chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, then stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and dried Italian herbs. Cook until sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes to meld flavors. Thin sauce with reserved pasta water if required.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat with sauce. Stir in chopped parsley and serve immediately, garnished with additional parsley and Parmesan as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes, which means dinner can happen on even the busiest nights without feeling rushed.
  • The sauce tastes like you've been simmering it for hours, but the mushrooms and cream do all the heavy lifting for you.
  • Chicken stays tender because you're not overthinking it, and the pasta soaks up every bit of that rich, silky sauce.
02 -
  • Don't skip searing the chicken properly because those golden bits are where the flavor lives, and a crowded pan will steam the chicken instead of searing it.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining because that starch is what transforms a heavy sauce into something that clings to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the plate.
  • Keep the heat at medium-low once the cream goes in because high heat can break the sauce and make it separate.
03 -
  • If you use chicken thighs instead of breasts, they stay juicier during cooking and have more flavor, though they need an extra minute or two to cook through.
  • The difference between a good creamy sauce and a broken, oily one comes down to temperature and patience—resist the urge to turn up the heat, just let it do its thing.
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