Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

1Ingredients

• 1.5 lbsBoneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 12 ozShort pasta (e.g., penne, rotini)
• 8 ozCremini mushrooms
• 1Small yellow onion
• 2Garlic cloves
• 1 cupHeavy cream
• 0.5 cupChicken broth
• 1 tbspOlive oil
• 1 tbspUnsalted butter
• 0.5 cupGrated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tspSalt
• 0.5 tspBlack pepper
• 2 tbspFresh parsley, chopped (optional)

2Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Drain the pasta and set aside.

   ⏱ 12 min
2. 2

   While the pasta cooks, dice the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

   ⏱ 7 min
3. 3

   Add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes until they soften and start to brown. Finely dice the yellow onion and mince the garlic. Add them to the skillet with the mushrooms and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the onion is translucent.

   ⏱ 5 min
4. 4

   Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet using a wooden spoon. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer, then stir in the heavy cream. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce gently simmer for 3-5 minutes, allowing it to slightly thicken.

   ⏱ 5 min
5. 5

   Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Add the drained pasta and the grated Parmesan cheese. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated with the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) as needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.

   ⏱ 3 min