One Pan Creamy Chicken Pasta (Printable)
Tender chicken and pasta in a rich parmesan cream sauce with vegetables, all cooked together in one pan for easy prep and cleanup.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
→ Pasta & Liquids
09 - 10 oz penne or short pasta
10 - 3 cups (24 fl oz) low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1 cup (8 fl oz) heavy cream
12 - ½ cup (about 2 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
→ Oils & Extras
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
# Directions:
01 - Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, ensuring even coating on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
03 - Add onion to the same pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Stir in the red bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes until slightly tender.
05 - Add uncooked pasta to the pan, followed by chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
06 - Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
07 - Return the cooked chicken to the pan, add baby spinach, and stir in Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce thickens.
08 - Taste the dish and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
09 - Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- Its the kind of dinner that makes people pause and ask what smells so incredible
- The sauce creates itself while the pasta cooks, almost like magic
- Cleanup takes three minutes flat, leaving more time for whatever matters most tonight
02 -
- The sauce will look thin at first but thickens beautifully as the pasta releases starch into the liquid
- Don't skip scraping the bottom of the pan when adding liquids, those browned bits are pure flavor
03 -
- If the sauce gets too thick before the pasta is done, add a splash more broth or water
- Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold straight from the fridge