Description
Indulge in a restaurant-quality meal with this easy, protein-rich creamy chicken penne pasta. Featuring perfectly al dente pasta tossed in a velvety, herb-infused cream sauce with golden pan-seared chicken breast, this recipe is designed for busy weeknights. By utilizing a single skillet to build flavor from the browned bits, this dish ensures a consistent, luxurious texture that will satisfy your whole family without the need for complex cooking techniques.
Ingredients
1 lb penne pasta
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1.5 cups heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook penne until al dente.
Reserve one cup of pasta water and drain the noodles.
Heat one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Season chicken with salt, pepper, and half the Italian seasoning, then sear until golden and cooked through.
Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Add the remaining butter to the same skillet and sauté minced garlic until fragrant.
Pour in the heavy cream and simmer gently for three minutes.
Whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese and the remaining Italian seasoning until the sauce is smooth and thickened.
Add the cooked chicken and penne into the skillet, tossing to coat thoroughly.
If the sauce is too thick, splash in reserved pasta water as needed.
Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
Substitute ziti or rigatoni if penne is unavailable. Use half-and-half for a lighter sauce texture. Always grate Parmesan fresh for the best melt quality.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Baking
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 135mg