Creamy Chicken Pasta

Why you’ll love this recipe

• So satisfying. This meal is incredibly delicious, comforting, and filling. You’re going to be craving it on repeat!
• Quick & easy. Such an easy recipe with simple methods that can be whipped up in just about 20 minutes from start to finish. It’s a great weeknight meal for busy families!
• So tasty! This is one of the most delicious pasta dishes and should not be missed. It’s bound to become a family favorite and you’ll want to add it to your regular dinner rotation. Even your picky eaters will enjoy!

Ingredients needed

You’re going to fall in LOVE with this pasta dish! It requires only 8 simple, easy-to-find ingredients and comes together with very little effort. Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need:

• Penne pasta. We love penne pasta in this recipe, but you can use any pasta you’d like — including gluten free noodles!
• Chicken breast. Skinless chicken thighs will also work in this recipe. You can cut the cooked chicken into strips or chop it into bite-sized pieces.
• Taco seasoning. The only seasoning you’ll need to give this recipe the perfect flavor. You could also add a kick of heat with red pepper flakes, if you’re feeling a little wild! This homemade taco seasoning is our favorite!
• Olive oil + butter. For cooking the chicken and making the cream sauce.
• Heavy cream. Highly recommended for a super creamy, rich, delicious sauce.
• Cheese. We love using a Mexican style blend in this recipe, but feel free to use pepper jack, sharp cheddar or Monterey jack cheese.
• Diced tomatoes + green chilies. Feel free to use a can of mild, medium or hot tomatoes & green chilies, depending on how spicy you want this dish.

How to make this recipe

You may have tried other creamy chicken pasta recipes, but this one’s the BEST! It’s also super easy! Here’s a quick rundown of how to make this recipe:

1. Boil pasta. Start a pot of salted boiling water and cook the pasta until al dente and according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
2. Cook chicken. While your pasta water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, you can season and cook the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the heated pan and cook, turning once, until chicken is completely cooked through, about 5 minutes. Once that’s done, plate it and cover it with foil.
3. Make the pasta sauce. Use the same skillet that you cooked the chicken in and melt butter. Once melted, whisk in cream for a couple of minutes and then cheese and tomatoes & green chilies. Stir until the sauce is thickened and cheese has melted.

4. Combine all ingredients. Stir the cooked pasta into the creamy Alfredo sauce. Cut the chicken and either stir it in or add it to the top of the pasta.
5. Enjoy! Plate pasta with chicken and add a garnish of cilantro, fresh parsley or basil for color.

Expert tips

This pasta recipe is super easy and straightforward, but here are a few tips to make sure it’s absolutely perfect every time!

• Cooking pasta. Don’t forget to season the water with plenty of salt before adding in the pasta; otherwise this dish may taste under-seasoned. As a general rule of thumb, add 1 teaspoon salt per 4 cups of water.
• Cutting the chicken. You can cut the chicken into strips or you can dice it into bite-sized pieces.
• Heat level. If you’re serving kids or someone sensitive to spice, be sure to use mild taco seasoning and mild tomatoes & green chilies.
• Different cut of meat. We use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenders, but chicken thighs will also work just fine.
• Shredded cheese. Use freshly grated cheese if possible; it has more flavor than the pre-shredded variety and melts smoothly.

Serving suggestions

When serving this meal, we like to keep the sides pretty simple because this is one satisfying dish. Here are some of my favorite pairing options:

• Salad. A green salad, such as this Italian salad always goes well with any pasta dish. You could also make a fresh green salad by tossing mixed greens with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Feel free to add toppings to your salad such as red onion, cherry tomatoes, and croutons.
• Vegetables. Either bacon roasted Brussels sprouts or roasted broccoli would be delicious as a side dish.
• Bread. Don’t let any of the scrumptious creamy sauce go to waste! Sop it up with a crusty loaf of garlic bread.

Variations

While this dish is fabulous as-is, you can absolutely add other ingredients to use what you have available and customize the flavors to your tastes.

• Protein. Swap out the chicken breasts for chicken thighs, turkey cutlets or pork chops for a different flavor.
• Vegetables. Feel free to add some veggies to the mix. Baby spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, artichokes or roasted bell peppers would all be great.
• Add some crunch. Toast some Panko breadcrumbs in a skillet with butter (or olive oil) and garnish individual plates with a handful of the toasted breadcrumbs.
• Swap the pasta. Really, whatever pasta you have on hand will work. Bowtie, linguine, fussili and ziti are all great choices.
• Cheese. Instead of Mexican blend cheese, try using pepper jack, parmesan cheese, sharp cheddar or Monterey jack cheese.

Frequently asked questions

Storage recommendations

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave, splashed with a bit of water, chicken broth, chicken stock, milk or additional cream to keep it from drying out as you rewarm it. We do not recommend freezing this dish, as the texture will not be as good when thawed.