Tinis Creamy Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Penne pasta with tender shredded chicken in a smooth cream sauce enriched by garlic and Parmesan.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz penne pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (approximately 12 oz, rotisserie or homemade)

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook until al dente as per package instructions. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water, and set 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. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping the skillet base to loosen browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and mozzarella until the cheeses melt and the sauce becomes smooth.
05 - Add dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix well.
06 - Add shredded chicken and cooked penne to the skillet. Toss to evenly coat with sauce. If sauce is too thick, gradually add reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and additional grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It uses up leftover chicken without tasting like leftovers at all.
  • The sauce comes together in under ten minutes and clings to every piece of pasta.
  • It feels indulgent but doesn't require fancy ingredients or techniques.
  • One skillet does most of the work, so cleanup is blessedly simple.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water, it's the secret to a sauce that clings instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Add the cream on low heat or it can break and turn grainy, patience pays off here.
  • Taste the sauce before adding salt, the Parmesan and broth are already salty and it's easy to overdo it.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-shredded kind, it melts smoother and tastes infinitely better.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks oily, whisk in a spoonful of pasta water off the heat and it'll come back together like magic.
  • Taste the pasta a minute before the timer goes off, al dente means it should still have a tiny bit of resistance when you bite it.
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