Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta

This rich, velvety Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta is made with tender seared chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan cheese and ready in just 30 minutes. The garlic cream sauce thickens beautifully as you toss the hot noodles, coating every bite in savory goodness. I love serving this for busy weeknight dinners when I crave comfort food without the wait.

Restaurant-Quality At Home

I used to think making a proper cream sauce required complicated techniques or hours of simmering. I was surprised to learn that real heavy cream and parmesan create that luxurious texture instantly, far better than anything you can buy in a jar.

The secret is searing the chicken first to build a flavor base in the pan. Deglazing those browned bits with chicken broth makes the sauce taste like it simmered all day, adding a depth that simple cream alone can’t achieve.

Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta Ingredients

• Chicken: 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Pasta: 8 oz penne pasta (or your favorite short noodle).
• Aromatics: 3 cloves garlic, minced, and 2 tbsp butter.
• Seasoning: 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
• Liquids: 1 cup heavy cream and ½ cup chicken broth.
• Add-ins: ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped) and 2 cups fresh spinach.
• Cheese: ½ cup grated parmesan cheese.

How To Make Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta

1. Cook Pasta: Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
2. Sear Chicken: Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the seasoned chicken pieces until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
3. Sauté Aromatics: Remove the chicken from the pan, melt the butter, and sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Simmer Sauce: Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits, then add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Combine: Whisk in the parmesan cheese until smooth, stir in the spinach until wilted, and toss the cooked pasta and chicken back into the sauce until well coated.

Recipe Tips

• Grate your own cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy. Grating a block of parmesan fresh ensures a silky smooth melt.
• Room temperature cream: If possible, let your heavy cream sit out for 10 minutes before cooking. Adding cold dairy to a hot pan can sometimes cause it to curdle or seize.
• Save pasta water: Always keep a half-cup of starchy pasta water before draining. If your sauce gets too thick while tossing, a splash of this water will loosen it up perfectly without diluting the flavor.

What To Serve With Italian Chicken Pasta

This rich dish pairs perfectly with a crisp green salad tossed in a vinaigrette to cut through the creamy sauce. A side of crusty garlic bread is also essential for mopping up every last drop of the parmesan cream.

How To Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of milk or broth to revive the creamy texture, as the sauce will thicken when cold.

FAQs

• Can I use half-and-half instead of heavy cream? Yes, you can use half-and-half for a lighter version, but the sauce will be thinner. You may need to simmer it longer or use a little cornstarch slurry to reach the desired consistency.
• Can I use frozen spinach? Absolutely. Just make sure to thaw the frozen spinach and squeeze out as much excess water as possible before adding it to the sauce so it doesn’t water down the flavor.
• Is this recipe gluten-free? The sauce ingredients are naturally gluten-free if you check your broth labels. Simply swap the regular penne for your favorite gluten-free pasta brand to make the entire dish safe.

Nutrition

• Calories: 645 kcal
• Total Fat: 38g
• Saturated Fat: 21g
• Cholesterol: 145mg
• Sodium: 890mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 48g
• Protein: 32g

Try More Recipes:

• Cold Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad With Mozzarella Recipe
• Creamy Tri Color Italian Pasta Salad With Rotini
• Copycat Kraft Zesty Italian Pasta Salad With Pepperoni

Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta

Recipe by Paula

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

30

minutes

Rich, velvety Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta with tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach ready in 30 minutes. This restaurant-quality dinner combines juicy meat and al dente noodles for an easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 8 oz penne pasta (or your favorite short noodle)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• 1 cup heavy cream

• ½ cup chicken broth

• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

• 2 cups fresh spinach

• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

• Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
• Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the seasoned chicken pieces until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the pan, melt the butter, and sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits, then add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
• Whisk in the parmesan cheese until smooth, stir in the spinach until wilted, and toss the cooked pasta and chicken back into the sauce until well coated.