Description
This one-pot chicken pasta is a weeknight win: juicy chicken, rich garlicky cream sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta all wrapped into one comforting dish. It’s fast, fuss-free, and fancy enough to feel like you did something special—without actually doing much at all.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Chicken Portion:
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb blend
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to your preference
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the Pasta and Creamy Sauce:
- 8 ounces pasta of choice (fettuccine works wonderfully)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (not the pre-packaged kind)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (skip if you prefer no heat)
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves (entirely optional)
- Fresh parsley, roughly chopped for finishing
Instructions
- Season Your Protein: Combine the chicken pieces with Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl, ensuring each piece gets evenly coated.
- Prepare Your Pasta: Set a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Cook your pasta just until it offers slight resistance when bitten—about a minute less than package directions suggest. Before draining, capture ½ cup of the starchy cooking water.
- Transform the Chicken: While the pasta bubbles away, heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer, allowing them to develop a golden crust before stirring, about 5-7 minutes total cooking time. Transfer to a clean plate once no longer pink in the center.
- Build Your Sauce Base: Reduce the heat under the same skillet to medium and add the butter. Once it stops foaming, introduce the minced garlic, stirring constantly for just 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Sprinkle the flour over everything and whisk continuously for a full minute, creating a blonde roux.
- Create Silky Texture: While whisking steadily, slowly pour in the chicken broth, ensuring no lumps form. Once incorporated, add the heavy cream in a thin stream. Allow this mixture to bubble gently for 2-3 minutes as it begins to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Incorporate Cheese: Lower the heat to prevent scorching and gradually add the Parmesan in small handfuls, allowing each addition to melt completely before adding more. Stir in red pepper flakes if using.
- Reunite All Elements: Return the cooked chicken to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Fold in the drained pasta, tossing gently to ensure every strand gets coated in sauce. If it appears too thick, add splashes of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Add Fresh Color (Optional): If using spinach, fold it into the hot pasta and allow it to wilt naturally from the residual heat, about 1-2 minutes.
- Final Presentation: Divide among warmed bowls, finishing with a scatter of fresh parsley and perhaps an extra dusting of Parmesan.
Notes
Pound the chicken: Even thickness = fast, juicy cooking.
Don’t rush the garlic: Let it bloom slowly for that mellow, rich flavor.
Sauce too thick? Add a splash of reserved pasta water. It’s magic.
Want it extra velvety? Stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cup
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg