Easy Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

This is the best creamy chicken pasta recipe you’ll make all year. Tender chicken, al dente pasta, and a rich cream sauce that comes together fast. You’ll love how this chicken and pasta dish tastes, restaurant-worthy with simple ingredients.

If you like this recipe, you might like my Pici with Bolognese Sauce and my Pumpkin and Turkey Pasta.

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Hi! I can’t wait for you to try this one because it’s hands-down the best chicken and pasta recipe I’ve made at home. It’s creamy, cozy, and packed with flavor without being heavy. When I make this on busy nights, the sauce coats every bite of pasta and the chicken stays juicy. It reminds me of the creamy chicken dishes we used to make on long Italian Sunday nights, but quicker and simpler.

You get a rich cream sauce that hugs the pasta, tender chicken breast slices, and the gentle sweetness of sautéed shallots that elevate the whole dish. If you love creamy chicken pasta recipes, this will become your go-to dinner..

Ingredient Notes

• Pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti): Choose a shape that holds the creamy sauce well.
• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced thin: Stay juicy and tender, even after simmering in the sauce. You could use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, bone in. Cooking time will vary for either.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Gives you a flavorful base for sautéing.
• Unsalted butter: Adds rich flavor and helps the shallots and mushrooms soften.
• Shallot: Adds a mild, sweet flavor. Swap with white onion, sweet onion, or garlic.
• Mushrooms: Baby Bella mushrooms add earthy depth, but white mushrooms work too.
• White wine: Adds brightness and depth to the sauce. Use a wine you’d actually drink for the best flavor. You can substitute chicken broth if you prefer not to use wine.
• Heavy cream: Creates the rich, velvety sauce.
• Juice of one lemon: Adds freshness and brightens the sauce, balancing the richness.
• Reserved pasta water: Helps loosen and bind the sauce.
• Parmigiano Reggiano: Adds salty, savory flavor and helps thicken the sauce.
• Sea salt: Seasons each layer of the dish.
• Freshly ground black pepper: Adds a warm, peppery bite.
• Fresh Italian parsley, chopped: Brightens the final dish with fresh, herbal flavor.

How to Make Creamy Chicken Pasta

• Step 1: With a sharp knife, slice the cleaned mushrooms.
• Step 2: Slice the shallot.
• Step 3: Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet.
• Step 4: Add in the shallots and let them cook until they start to soften.
• Step 5: Add in the mushrooms and cook until they start to soften.
• Step 6: Season with some sea salt.

• Step 7: Remove the mushrooms and shallots and set aside in a small bowl. In sthe same skillet, add in another drizzle of olive oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and make sure there is room between them so they cook evenly.
• Step 8: Cook both sides until the chicken is fully cooked (should read internal temperature of 165°F ). Remove the chicken and place on a cutting board. Cut the chicken into slices. Set aside.
• Step 9: Add mushrooms and shallots back to the skillet. Add the rosemary. Add in the white wine and let it evaporate a minute or two.
• Step 10: Add in the cream. Add in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and stir to combine.
• Step 11: Add in the lemon juice. Stir to combine.
• Step 12: Add in the sliced chicken.

• Step 13: Add in the pasta and stir to combine.
• Step 14: Add in the fresh parsley.
• Step 15: Before serving, grate on some lemon zest, add more grated cheese, if you like, and a drizzle of olive oil, a touch more black pepper. Serve warm and enjoy immediately.

📃 NOTE: Recipe card with detailed instructions are below! Print it out for later!

Substitutions & Variations

• Swap chicken breast for chicken thighs for deeper flavor.
• Add spinach or peas to the creamy chicken pasta for extra vegetables.
• Use mushrooms for a richer chicken and mushroom pasta variation.
• Replace cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce.
• Add chili flakes for a spicy creamy chicken pasta.
• Use gluten-free pasta if needed—sauce stays perfect.

Pro Tips for the Best Chicken Pasta

• Add pasta water slowly until the sauce reaches the perfect consistency.
• Slice the chicken thin so it cooks evenly.
• Brown the chicken well; it adds depth to the sauce.
• Use freshly grated Parmigiana a smoother cream sauce.
• Keep the heat low once the cream is added so it won’t separate.

Storing & Freezing

• Storage: Creamy sauces don’t hold well in the fridge, so I recommend eating this pasta the same day. If you must store it, keep it in an airtight container for up to 1 day and expect the sauce to thicken.
• Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing cream-based pasta. The sauce separates and loses its silky texture.
• Reheating: Warm it gently on low heat with a splash of milk or cream to loosen the sauce.

FAQ'S

What to serve with this recipe

• A side of my Authentic Focaccia Bread to soak up all the delicious sauce.
• A crisp and easy salad like Insalata Mista.
• For dessert, a slice of my Italian Apple Cake or my Affogato is the perfect way to end the meal.

More Pasta Recipes to Try

• Creamy Garlic Pasta
• Roasted Tomato Pasta
• Creamy Italian Sausage Rigatoni
• Creamy Saffron Pasta

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5 from 5 votes

BEST Creamy Chicken Pasta

This is the best creamy chicken pasta recipe you’ll make all year—tender chicken, al dente pasta, and a rich cream sauce that comes together fast. You’ll love how this chicken and pasta dish tastes restaurant-worthy with simple ingredients.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Italian American

Keyword: chicken, cream sauce

Servings: 5 servings

Calories: 611kcal

Equipment

• 1 Sharp Knife
• 1 Cutting Board
• 1 Large Skillet
• 1 Large Pot
• 1 Collander

Ingredients

• 1 lb rigatoni or any short or long pasta that you like
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 1-2 Tablespoons more
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1.5 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs you could use chicken breasts
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms cleaned and sliced (or white mushrooms)
• 1 Tablespoons fresh rosemary just leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 cup cream
• 1 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
• 1 lemon juice freshly squeezed, plus the zest
• ⅓ cup Parmigiano Reggiano freshly grated, more to serve

Instructions

Boil the Pasta

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.

Cook the Vegetables

1. Clean and slice the mushrooms and shallot.
2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shallot and cook until it softens.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Season with sea salt.
4. Transfer the mushrooms and shallot to a small bowl.

Cook the Chicken

1. In the same skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the chicken, leaving space between each piece so they brown evenly.
2. Cook until fully done (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C). Transfer to a cutting board and slice. (should take about 6-8 minutes per side, depending on thickness).

Prepare the Sauce

1. Return the mushrooms and shallot to the skillet. Add the rosemary.
2. Pour in the white wine and let it cook off for 1–2 minutes.
3. Add the cream, then stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir in the lemon juice.

Combine

1. Add the sliced chicken back into the sauce.
2. Add the cooked pasta and toss so everything is well coated.

Finish and Serve

1. Stir in the fresh parsley.
2. Before serving, grate on some lemon zest, add more grated cheese, a touch more black pepper. Serve warm and enjoy immediately.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

• Pasta: Use your favorite pasta shape. I used rigatoni, but you could use penne or even any long pasta (like spaghetti or linguine).
• Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken thighs for extra tenderness, or swap in chicken breasts if you prefer a leaner option. 
• Mushrooms: Slice the mushrooms evenly so they brown instead of steaming.
• White wine: Deglaze the pan with white wine to lift all the flavorful bits from the bottom.
• Reserve: Don’t skip reserving pasta water—it helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
  Add the Parmigiano Reggiano off the heat so it melts smoothly.
• Season: Taste and adjust salt at the end since the cheese naturally adds saltiness.
  Finish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon for brightness.
• Thickness: The sauce will look looser when you first combine it with the pasta. As it simmers, the cream thickens quickly and turns into the ideal silky coating.

Nutrition

Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 630mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 905IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 2mg

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