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
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.
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. 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. © Little Sunny Kitchen
