Tinis Creamy Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender shredded chicken and penne in a rich, creamy garlic and Parmesan sauce for cozy dinners.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz penne pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 12 oz; rotisserie or homemade)

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 1 tbsp 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 tsp dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Extra grated Parmesan, for serving

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water, and set pasta aside.
02 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping any browned bits from the pan, and simmer for 2 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream, then add Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Stir continuously until cheeses melt and the sauce becomes smooth.
05 - Add dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix to combine.
06 - Add shredded chicken and cooked penne to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat with sauce. Adjust consistency by adding reserved pasta water if needed.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle chopped parsley and extra Parmesan on top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but secretly only took 40 minutes start to finish.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of penne like it was designed for it, creamy and garlicky without being heavy.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken and nobody will ever know you took the shortcut.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, which means lunch is already handled.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it has starch that helps the sauce cling and you can't replicate it with plain water.
  • Add the cream on low heat or it can split and turn grainy instead of silky.
  • Taste the sauce before adding salt because Parmesan is salty and you can always add more but you can't take it back.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-grated stuff, it melts smoother and tastes infinitely better.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks oily, whisk in a tablespoon of pasta water off the heat and it'll emulsify back together.
  • Don't overcook the pasta, it finishes cooking in the sauce and you want it to have some bite left.
Return