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Creamy Chicken Pasta

Creamy Chicken Pasta

This creamy chicken pasta combines tender, golden-seared chicken with pasta coated in a rich garlic sauce made with half and half, chicken broth, Parmesan, Romano, butter and white wine. The sauce is built directly in the skillet to capture the flavour left from searing the chicken, while reserved pasta water helps keep everything smooth and creamy. Finished with herbs and an optional squeeze of lemon, it’s a comforting, savoury pasta dish with a balanced creamy texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast
  • Salt/pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ¼ cup flour for the light surface coating
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for searing

For the Pasta and Sauce

  • ½ cup dry white wine see notes
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 ¼ cups half and half (half light cream, half milk)
  • ¾ cups chicken broth
  • ½ chicken bouillon cube
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/3 cup Romano cheese grated, see notes
  • ½ lb. pasta any kind
  • 1 cup pasta water optional
  • 1 lemon optional

For the Seasoning Mixture

  • ½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder garlic salt, oregano, basil, mustard powder, parsley, all dried seasonings
  • 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

Method
 

  1. Prepare the sauce mixture. Pour the half and half and chicken broth into a large measuring cup with a spout, then mix in the seasonings. Measure the remaining ingredients before you start cooking. Put a measuring cup inside the colander you’ll use for the pasta so you remember to save some cooking water later.
  2. Cut and flatten the chicken. Slice the chicken breast in half lengthwise to create 2-4 thinner slices. Cover the pieces with plastic wrap and pound each side until about 1-inch thick, remembering that the chicken will plump up as it cooks.
  3. Season the chicken. Pat each piece dry, then season both sides with salt/pepper and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle the ¼ cup flour over both sides and rub it across the surface to create the light coating used for searing.
  4. Sear and rest. Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until a golden crust forms. Check that the chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F/74°C, then set it aside for 10 minutes before cutting it into strips.
  5. Start the pasta water. Bring water to a boil for the pasta while you move on to the sauce.
  6. Deglaze with the wine. Pour ½ cup dry white wine into the chicken skillet and lower the heat to medium. Scrape the bottom and sides with a silicone spatula to loosen the fond. Let the wine bubble gently for 3-4 minutes, until reduced by half.
  7. Build the roux. Add 3 tbsp butter and 3 cloves garlic, minced, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 3 tbsp flour and keep stirring continuously for 2 minutes so the raw flour smell cooks away.
  8. Add the creamy liquid gradually. Pour the prepared chicken broth/half and half mixture into the skillet in small splashes, stirring continuously as you go. Work slowly so the roux remains intact and the sauce keeps its thick consistency.
  9. Add the bouillon. Stir in the ½ chicken bouillon cube. Bring the sauce to a gentle bubble, then turn the heat to low and partially cover the skillet.
  10. Cook the pasta. Salt the boiling water and add ½ lb. pasta, any kind. Cook only until no more than al dente, using a timer to avoid overcooking and stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
  11. Melt in the cheeses. Gradually sprinkle 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, and 1/3 cup Romano cheese, grated, into the sauce while stirring continuously.
  12. Combine the pasta and chicken. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and gently toss it through the sauce with a silicone spatula. Add the sliced chicken along with any juices that have collected on its resting plate, then toss again to combine.
  13. Adjust the consistency. If the sauce needs loosening, add the reserved pasta water in small splashes and toss gently until the consistency is where you want it.
  14. Finish and serve. If desired, squeeze fresh lemon over the pasta just before serving. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Notes

How To Keep Creamy Chicken Pasta From Turning Dry

The pasta is intentionally cooked no further than al dente. It still has to be tossed through the hot sauce, so cooking it too far in the water gives you less control over its final texture.
Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. The original method even recommends placing a measuring cup in the colander beforehand as a reminder, which is useful because this step is easy to forget once the pasta is ready.
Don’t automatically pour the whole cup into the sauce. Add only small splashes if the pasta needs loosening after it has been combined with the sauce and chicken.
This is particularly useful because creamy cheese sauces naturally thicken as they sit. The supplied recipe also notes that reserved pasta water can help smooth the sauce again when reheating leftovers.
The optional lemon belongs at the very end. A squeeze over the finished pasta adds acidity without changing the structure of the sauce while it cooks.