Chicken Mushroom Pasta is a delicious and easy weeknight meal that you can make in under 30 minutes! This garlic parmesan cream sauce is simple to make, and this meal is super satisfying, filled with tender pan-seared chicken bites and lots of meaty mushrooms.
You don’t need to take your family out to dinner to enjoy a rich and creamy pasta meal!
It’s truly so simple to make this chicken and mushroom pasta at home. Dinner will be ready in half an hour, using inexpensive ingredients that come together perfectly to create a rich and flavorful sauce.
I could eat this pasta dish for dinner every day and truly be happy! It’s so good, and I know that your family is going to love it too.
You should also try my Olive Garden chicken pasta. It’s made in your slow cooker and packed with flavor! Or use your Instant Pot to make Chicken Florentine Pasta with chicken, mushrooms, and spinach.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy– Don’t spend more time in the kitchen than you need to tonight! This recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes, from start to finish.
- Family Friendly – The flavors in this pasta dish are cheesy, creamy, and garlicky. Everyone is going to love it!
- Made from Scratch – Forget using cream of whatever soup to make creamy mushroom pasta! I’ll show you how easy it is to make the perfect cream sauce from scratch.
key ingredients in Chicken Mushroom Pasta
Here’s what you need to make this creamy pasta with chicken and mushrooms:
- Chicken: Start with chicken breasts that you’ve cut into bite-sized pieces. They’ll cook quickly this way and stay juicy and tender.
- Mushrooms: Regular white button mushrooms are perfect here. For more meaty flavor, you can use cremini or baby bella mushrooms instead.
- Pasta: Any style of dried pasta – short or long – will work in this recipe! Try penne, rigatoni, fettuccini, or farfalle.
- Heavy Cream: The key ingredient to making a homemade cream sauce for pasta is heavy cream (called double cream in the UK). Half and half can also be used, but the sauce won’t be as rich.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms
Start by cooking the pasta according to the package instructions. While that’s happening, we’ll cook the chicken and make the sauce so that everything is ready to combine at the same time.
When the pasta is done, drain it, saving 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until fully cooked. Remove the chicken onto a plate and set aside.
- Cook the Mushrooms: In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes to sweat them until they soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for just 1 minute.
- Make the Creamy Sauce: Add the heavy cream and parmesan cheese to the pan, and whisk to create a smooth sauce. Add up to half of the pasta water if needed to loosen up the sauce.
- Finish the Dish: When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the sauce, along with the cooked chicken bites. Gently mix everything together to combine. Taste your dish, and adjust the seasonings if needed. You may also want to add more pasta water at this point. Garnish with extra parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Tip!
Instead of buying pre-shredded parmesan cheese, buy a block and shred it yourself. It’s cheaper and much tastier this way!
Recipe Tips
- Save some of the pasta water before you pour it down the drain! You may not need all of it, but in case your sauce seems too thick, pasta water is the perfect thing to adjust the consistency later.
- I used about 10 ounces of penne for this recipe, but you can use half a pound (8 ounces), or a whole 12-ounce box if that’s easier.
- Boneless chicken thighs can be used in place of chicken breast.
- Avoid overcooking the chicken. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness by inserting it into the center of a piece. It should register around 160-165°F (74°C).
- Make the sauce while the pasta is cooking so that you can add the pasta to the sauce while everything is still hot.
- After cooking the mushrooms, try adding a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan. Let it cook down for a few minutes before adding the cream. This will give your sauce an extra rich and complex flavor.
Storing Tips
Keep leftover pasta with chicken and mushrooms in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating in the microwave or on the stove, you’ll want to add a splash of water to thin out the sauce as it will thicken in the fridge.
I don’t recommend freezing this pasta as it will become mushy when it’s frozen and reheated again.
What To Serve With Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
Serve this pasta meal with a simple side salad and freshly baked olive garden style breadsticks!
Another delicious option is my easy garlic bread recipe!
Need a dessert idea to go with your creamy pasta? Try something light, like my no bake strawberry pie, or classic lemon meringue pie.
Recipe FAQs
Sure! As long as you fully cook the protein in the skillet before making the sauce, you can replace the chicken with steak, shrimp, or even salmon! You can also check out my recipes for prime rib pasta, garlic shrimp pasta, and salmon pasta for clearer instructions.
Along with the mushrooms, try sauteeing onions, peppers, chopped kale, or spinach. You can also try adding blanched broccoli, canned artichokes, or blanched asparagus. Quick tip: Add raw veggies to the pasta during the last three minutes of cooking to save dishes.
Creamy Pasta Recipes with Chicken
Creamy Chicken Orzo
Artichoke and Spinach Pasta
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Chicken Mushroom Pasta is the perfect meal for busy weeknights because it’s so quick to make and everyone loves it! Don’t forget to Pin the recipe to save it, and share it with your friends.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Chicken Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz (280 grams) pasta any shape
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 lb (450 grams) chicken breasts about 2 breasts, cut into ¾ – 1 inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For The Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- 1 tablespoon (13 grams) butter
- 8 ounces (225 grams) cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (double cream in the UK)
- ½ cup (43 grams) parmesan grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a saucepan, boil water, salt it, then cook the pasta according to the package instructions. When the pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat oil and add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes. Use an instant read thermometer to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. Remove the fully cooked chicken onto a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add mushrooms, and cook for 3-4 minutes to sweat them until they soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the cream and the parmesan, and whisk or stir until you get a smooth sauce. Add up to half of the pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce and whisk again.
- Add the pasta and return the chicken to the skillet, and gently mix everything together until well combined. Taste the pasta with the sauce, and adjust the seasonings to your preference. If needed, more pasta water can also be mixed in to make the pasta saucier.
- Garnish with extra parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Notes:
- Save some of the pasta water before you pour it down the drain! You may not need all of it, but in case your sauce seems too thick, pasta water is the perfect thing to adjust the consistency later.
- Boneless chicken thighs can be used in place of chicken breast.
- Make the sauce while the pasta is cooking so that you can add the pasta to the sauce while everything is still hot.
- To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
christine lily barker says
so easy and quick and tasted lovely
Little Sunny Kitchen says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you 🙂
Mandy Fenton says
OMG this is delicious! This will be a regular for me, thank you so much for the recipe, can’t wait to try more, many thanks x
Jess says
YUMMY! This was amazing for dinner, and I cannot thank you enough for sharing this recipe!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
You’re welcome, Jess! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Sharina says
We are mushroom lovers, so I added extra mushrooms to our Chicken mushroom pasta and it turned out to be incredibly delicious! It is so rich in flavor making it a satisfying meal.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
I’m so happy to hear that, Sharina! Thanks for the kind review!
Sheila G says
We loved this so much, it’s loaded with flavor. Next time I will double the recipe!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you, Sheila! That is so wonderful to hear!