Tinis Creamy Chicken Pasta (Printable View)

Tender shredded chicken with penne in a silky, garlic-infused cream sauce topped with Parmesan cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz penne pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 12 oz cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or homemade)

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - ½ cup chicken broth
09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
02 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Incorporate minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in chicken broth and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the pan.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream followed by Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Continue stirring until the cheeses melt and the sauce achieves a smooth consistency.
05 - Add dried Italian herbs, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Add shredded chicken and cooked penne to the skillet. Toss gently to coat everything evenly in the sauce. Adjust thickness by adding reserved pasta water as needed.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means weeknight dinner doesn't have to mean scrambling.
  • The sauce is so silky and forgiving that even if you've never made a cream sauce before, you'll feel like a pro.
  • It uses rotisserie chicken, so you're borrowing someone else's hard work and making it completely your own.
02 -
  • Don't let the sauce boil hard once the cream is in, or it can separate and look oily—low heat and gentle stirring are your friends.
  • Pasta water is liquid gold; that starch-filled liquid is what makes the sauce cling to the pasta instead of just coating it, so never throw it away without tasting the final dish first.
  • The chicken will taste bland on its own because it's not seasoned with much, so layer your seasoning into the sauce and it'll all come together.
03 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining—that starchy liquid is what transforms a separated, oily sauce into something silky and cohesive.
  • Let your onions soften completely before adding garlic; rushing this step means you'll have raw onion hidden in your sauce instead of sweet, melted onion.
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