Description
This creamy chicken pasta is a quick, comforting meal featuring seared chicken, tender pasta, and a velvety garlic cream sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights or cozy dinners, it’s easy to customize with veggies and ideal for beginner cooks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup flour (for dredging)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups half and half
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup Romano cheese, grated
- ½ lb. pasta (shells, linguine, or farfalle)
- 1 cup reserved pasta water (optional)
- Juice of 1 lemon (optional)
Seasonings:
- ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic salt, oregano, basil, mustard powder, parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner cutlets. Place them between sheets of plastic wrap and pound gently until evenly thick. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then dredge in flour to coat the surface lightly.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest before slicing into strips.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine (or broth) and reduce the heat to medium. Use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the wine simmer until reduced by half, about 3–4 minutes.
- Build the Sauce Base: Add butter and garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook for another 2 minutes, mixing continuously to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add the Liquid Ingredients: Slowly pour in the half and half and chicken broth while stirring constantly to maintain a smooth, thick consistency. Add all the dried seasonings and the bouillon cube, and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan partially and let the sauce simmer gently.
- Cook the Pasta: Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water until just al dente. Before draining, reserve one cup of pasta water to help loosen the sauce later if needed.
- Combine and Finish: Stir the grated cheeses into the warm sauce until melted and smooth. Add the drained pasta and sliced chicken, tossing gently to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add splashes of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Add Final Touches: Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness if desired. Serve hot, garnished with parsley or extra cheese for presentation.
Notes
- If using vegetables, sauté them separately and add them at the end to maintain texture. Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-packaged and helps avoid a grainy sauce. Keep the heat low when adding cheese to prevent separation. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently with extra liquid to maintain creaminess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American-Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 526
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 810mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0.01g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 80mg