Creamy Chicken Mushroom Pasta tastes like a decadent restaurant dish, but is deceivingly easy to whip together for a weeknight dinner! The silky sauce coats chicken, mushrooms and pasta with delicious garlic flavor!
One bite and you’ll know why it is one of my favorite chicken pasta recipes! This creamy pasta comes together in less 30 minutes! You’re going to love it!
This is the ultimate crowd-pleasing comfort dish. Pair it with a salad or roasted Italian vegetables for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pasta – We like fusilli or rotini for this pasta dish, because the shape helps trap the sauce in every bite.
- Oil – Truffle oil adds decadent flavor, but Extra Virgin Olive Oil is delicious, too!
- Chicken Tenders or Breasts – Cut into 1 inch cubes to help them cook evenly and quickly. Substitute chicken with rotisserie or grilled chicken for a shortcut.
- Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper – These simple seasonings add flavor to the chicken while browning.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted.
- Mushrooms – Baby bellas or your favorite mushrooms! This recipe is amazing with morels and truffles, too!
- Minced Garlic – Fresh minced garlic from cloves or substitute store-bought minced garlic.
- Onion – Traditionally, I use yellow onion for this dish. White onion, red onion and even shallots work well.
- Vegetable Stock – Use vegetable stock or chicken stock or substitute with dry white (Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay).
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy cream gives the sauce a creamy texture. Substitute the heaviest milk you have on hand (see substitutions for heavy whipping cream for further reference) adding a little at a time to achieve the desired consistency.
- Cheese – Fresh grated Pecorino or Parmesan are perfect pairings. Substitute with truffle cheese (a blend of Gouda and parmesan, flavored with truffles).
- Parsley – Chopped parsley adds flavor and color to garnish.
Variations
- Add Greens – Spinach or kale add flavor and color.
- Garnish – Top it off with gremolata, a little lemon zest or a squeeze of fresh lemon over the top to add bright flavor.
Test Kitchen Tip
Reserve pasta water to toss in the sauce, helping it emulsify and coat the noodles, while thinning the sauce to the desired consistency.
More Chicken Pasta Dinners
Chicken Mushroom Pasta
This delicious creamy, comforting Chicken Mushroom Pasta in a light garlic cream sauce comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 pound pasta
Chicken
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound chicken tenders cut into 1” cubes
Sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter (one stick)
- ½ medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound mushrooms de-stemmed and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup vegetable stock
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Garnish
- ¼ cup parmesan
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
Instructions
Prepare Pasta
- Add water and salt to a large pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add pasta, stirring occasionally and prepare slightly undercooked, with a touch of a crunch. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set aside.1 tablespoon salt, 1 pound pasta
Chicken
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat, add olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and chicken. Brown chicken, stirring frequently, approximately 4-5 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160℉. Transfer to plate.2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 pound chicken tenders
- In skillet or dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter, swirling as needed until it becomes golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Add chopped onion and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring frequently, approximately 3 minutes until onions become translucent and mushrooms are tender. Watching carefully, add minced garlic and stir continuously for approximately 15-30 seconds to avoid burning.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ medium yellow onion, 1 pound mushrooms, 3 cloves garlic
Sauce
- Stir in vegetable stock and heavy cream. Simmer 5 minutes to reduce.¾ cup vegetable stock, ¾ cup heavy cream
- Stir ¼ cup reserved pasta water into sauce. Using tongs or a pasta fork, transfer pasta and chicken into sauce and gently toss. Add starchy pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency and pasta is al dente. Remove from heat.Top with with parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and thick flakes of ground black pepper (largest setting) to serve.¼ cup parmesan, 2 tablespoons parsley
Julie’s Tips
Starchy pasta water helps emulsify the sauce and stick to the pasta. Reserve pasta water and add a little at a time, over heat, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta – Use the noodle of your choice. Rotini, rigatoni, large macaroni, bow tie pasta all work well.
- Oil – Use extra virgin olive oil or substitute with truffle oil for rich, decadent flavor.
- Chicken – Chicken breasts or tenders cut into cubes or substitute rotisserie chicken for a simple shortcut.
- Garnish – Top with gremolata, lemon zest or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a hint of bright flavor.
Storage Notes
Store pasta in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days. To reheat, add a small amount of heavy cream to a sauce pan over medium heat and toss in pasta until warm and creamy.Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 760mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1141IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 2mg
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
