This Creamy Chicken Pasta dinner takes less than half an hour from start to finish. Serve it with a salad and bread, and you’ve got a satisfying meal for the whole family! Recipe includes a how-to video!
A Quick & Easy Chicken Dinner
This quick & easy creamy chicken pasta is ideal for those nights when you want to serve your family something filling and fast. This dish takes only 25 minutes to make and the spice level can easily be customized for either younger or more sophisticated palates.
The sauce is rich, creamy, and perfectly garlicky, and it pairs so well with the seasoned chicken. I highly recommend serving your pasta with a salad (I like to do broccoli salad, but a traditional garden salad works, too) and homemade breadsticks for a hearty and satisfying meal!
I hope your family loves this chicken pasta recipe as much as mine does. Let’s get cooking!
What You Need
This creamy chicken pasta is anything but bland! We’ll be adding lots of seasonings, a few veggies, and some optional herbs for maximum flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Linguine. You could substitute a different kind of pasta, but long, thin noodles like spaghetti, fettuccine, or even bucatini will work best.
- Seasonings & spices. Including salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (if you like a little heat), and Italian seasoning.
- Flour. We’ll dredge our chicken in just a little all-purpose flour after seasoning it. This won’t create a thick breading, but it will give the chicken a golden-crisp exterior.
- Chicken. Once its seasoned and dredged, you’ll cook your chicken in olive oil and butter. After its done cooking, there will likely be brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Don’t discard them! They’ll create a flavorful base for our sauce.
- Chicken broth. This will help us scrape up those brown bits from cooking the chicken. If you’d like, you could substitute the broth with white wine.
- Garlic & onion. As with my rigatoni, we’ll use these two vegetables for lots of flavor.
- Heavy cream. For just the right amount of creaminess!
- Parmesan cheese. Just ¼ cup flavors the sauce. Make sure it melts into the cream before serving.
- Fresh parsley. This adds freshness to what could be a somewhat heavy dish. You can always skip it if you’re not a fan though!
SAM’S TIP: I always break my linguine in half before cooking (it makes it easier to eat) and drizzle it with a very small amount of oil afterward (to prevent sticking). I know I’m going to get some complaints about this, but it works for me and will make things easier for you too. If it really bothers you though, you can cook whole.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Creamy Chicken Pasta
- Whisk together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Sprinkle each chicken breast with seasoning, then use your hands to rub the seasoning into the chicken and make sure everything is coated.
- Dredge each chicken breast in flour and set them aside while you heat your butter and oil in a pan.
- Cook the chicken on one side for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook until done.
- Place the cooked chicken on a plate and add your chopped onion to the pan.
- Cook the onion until it softens, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Slowly drizzle in the chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape any browned bits up from the bottom of the pan as you pour.
- Add the heavy cream, remaining salt, and Italian seasoning. Stir very well. Let the mixture come to a simmer, then add your parmesan and cook until it melts into the sauce.
- Test test for any additional seasonings before adding your pasta and chicken to the sauce. Cook until the sauce is thickened and the pasta and chicken are warmed through. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
SAM’S TIP: The sauce will seem thin at first, but it will thicken the longer it sits and as the pasta soaks it up. If you have leftovers, the sauce will be mostly absorbed by the noodles, so I like to add a splash of chicken broth if I am reheating the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whole milk might work, but it would definitely thin things out (probably too much!). I recommend sticking with cream for a perfectly thickened, velvety, chicken pasta sauce.
Kind of. This sauce is a twist on the Americanized version of alfredo sauce (cream, parmesan, and butter). I dilute it slightly with chicken broth and add seasonings and veggies to keep it from being too rich though.
I wouldn’t recommend it. The sauce gets a lot of its flavor from the seasoned chicken as it cooks in the pan (and thickens some thanks to the flour used to cook the chicken, too), and you’d greatly miss that if you used pre-cooked chicken. Spend the few extra minutes (really, it’s less than 10!) and just cook your chicken yourself!
Enjoy!
More Recipes You Might Like
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Creamy Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz (226 g) dry linguine
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon table salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ heaping teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper optional
- 1 lb (453 g) chicken breast cut into 4 portions
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup (140 g) finely chopped yellow onion about 1 medium-sized onion
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 ⅓ cup (315 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (236 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup (22 g) grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Begin cooking pasta in heavily salted water according to package directions. Once pasta is finished cooking, drain and set aside (if pasta is finished far in advance of the sauce, drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking).8 oz (226 g) dry linguine
- Meanwhile, set aside flour in a shallow dish. In another dish, whisk together ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using).½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ heaping teaspoon smoked paprika, Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Sprinkle chicken breast with spice mix and rub over the surface of the chicken, then dredge each breast in flour.1 lb (453 g) chicken breast
- Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, transfer chicken to the pan, spacing so the meat is not touching. Cook chicken for 2-3 minutes until browned, then flip and cook on the other side until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 Tablespoons butter
- Add onion to the pan and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.1 cup (140 g) finely chopped yellow onion
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- Slowly drizzle in chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan as you do. Add heavy cream, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and Italian seasoning and stir well.1 ⅓ cup (315 ml) chicken broth, 1 cup (236 ml) heavy cream, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Stir well, bring to a simmer and add parmesan cheese. Continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until melted. Taste-test and add additional salt and pepper as needed.¼ cup (22 g) grated parmesan cheese
- Add pasta to the pot and return chicken as well (you can slice the chicken before returning to the pot or leave it whole). Stir well, allow to simmer until chicken and pasta are warmed through and sauce is thickened enough to coat noodles then serve. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired.Fresh parsley for garnish
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Brigitte
Thank you Sam for another delicious savory recipe, My daughter loved it! She said she was hoping I would make it for dinner this week when she saw me watching it on Youtube!!
A question…if you were making an entire box of pasta (16oz) with 1 pound of chicken what parts of the recipe would you double? I did not have linguine and only about 1 pound of chicken, so I used 16 oz of bow tie pasta and doubled the broth, cream, and cheese without doubling the rest. It was delicious, i actually like this better than alfredo and I could have easily added some veggies with the onions. The smoked paprika adds some great flavor.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Brigitte! You would definitely want more sauce here, but without having tried it I can’t say for sure what to alter. 🙁
Scott
So I made this and it was pretty good. However, the olive oil and butter got pretty dark before I added chicken and then everything was a dark brown even after adding the heavy cream. I suspect I had the heat too high or didn’t move fast enough between steps. I’m going to try again but wondered if you had any feedback?
Sam
Hi Scott! Your heat could have potentially been a bit too high. Have you watched the video to see how it looks as it’s cooking?
Julia
This is SO good! Made as written, thought it was perfect. I love and appreciate that you list the ingredients in the steps they are used in so you don’t have to keep scrolling back up as you go!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Julia! I’m glad to hear the ingredients in the instructions were helpful as well. 🙂
Leigh hand
This was so delicious! I used egg noodles instead and used lots of salt while boiling the noodles so the sauce would stick. I made to much so I’ve been eating it eating it for 2 days… Lol. I love that you put the exact amount needed for each ingredient under each step. Didn’t have to keep scrolling up. Thank you
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! Thank you for the feedback on the new set up with the ingredients in the instructions. I’m glad it was helpful. 🙂
Jason
Sam,
I made this for my wife and teenage daughter. I changed it up little bit, I used Penne noodles and tossed in peas and carrots at the end. Shocking the daughter loved it! Definitely will be making this again thank for passing along such a good and wonderful recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sounds delicious, Jason! We’re so glad it was a hit for the whole family ❤️
William
We love to create new dishes at home. This dish is family favorite now. We make this again. It is delicious!!!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, William! 🙂
Alice Rathbun
The chicken was so moist I add little too much pasta but it was great. Thank you
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Alice! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for letting me know how it turned out!
Suzy Ellis
Can you make this dairy free
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Suzy! We haven’t tried it ourselves, so we can’t say for sure. If you try it, definitely let us know how it goes for you!
Trish
Cooked this tonight it was delicious. Even our picky eater loved it ! 😄
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, Trish! 🙂
Lisa Marie
Made this today. Yummy. Still, always takes me twice as long to make it. Did the linguine in the Tupperware pasta maker. Loving that because it’s so much faster than waiting for the pot to boil.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Michelle
Thank you for a totally awesome new dinner. I have very picky children and they asked if they can have this often. I wish the sauce was thicker for my taste but we will add this in our meal rotation for sure.
Katie
Everything I have made from you has been a huge hit with my family!!! I am so happy I found your website! Thank you so much for your excellent baking and cooking. Never stop!
Sam
Thank you so much, Katie! 🙂
Beverly
Made this for dinner tonight. So delicious! I liked adding the sliced chicken back to the pasta and sauce as it added yummy flavor! Added to the dinner rotation!
Sarah
Sam, thank you again for a wonderful recipe. I love your savory recipes so keep them coming!
I followed the recipe as written. I do have to admit I get a little antsy and impatient with waiting for things to thicken, but the sauce came together with the noodles very well with a little patience! Really enjoyed the flavors especially the chicken! We’ll be making again. And thank you for the measurements as I always seem to have a random amount of pasta laying around somewhere and my food scale comes in handy quite often.
Sam
You are very welcome, Sarah! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Linda Wagner
I have a somewhat picky chicken eater–and he declared this recipe a winner! I also loved the mix of spices, onion and garlic with the cream! This recipe is one I’ll cook a lot!
Jerri O'Rorke
Can you use shrimp in this recipe?
Sam
Hi Jerri! That sounds delicious! 🙂
Brian
Hi Sam, This looks delicious, and I can’t wait to make it. I’m always a bit nervous when cooking chicken (salmonella concerns), so how long in total should the chicken breasts cook? If they are good at 2 – 3 for one side, then how much for the other side? Many thanks!
Sam
Hi Brian! Unfortunately there are too many variables for me to give you an exact time. I would recommend getting an instant read thermometer (here’s my affiliate link) to help ensure your meats are fully cooked. 🙂
Brian
Thank you, Sam. That is very helpful. I can’t wait to make this, as it looks so delicious. Have a good weekend.
Lisa Marie
Thanks for link to thermo. My chicken looked fine on outside but not even close inside. Made sure to cut into all pieces to ensure done. This will help.