Creamy Chicken Pasta
This Creamy Chicken Pasta is a cozy, restaurant-quality dinner made with golden-seared chicken, tender pasta, and a silky parmesan cream sauce. Unlike a basic Alfredo, this version builds deep flavor by deglazing the pan with white wine and finishing with fresh lemon juice for balance. It’s comforting, rich, and perfect for both weeknights and special occasions.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Pot for Pasta
- meat mallet
Ingredients
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into cutlets
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- 1–2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ lb pasta (shells, penne, or fettuccine)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (for sauce)
- 1¼ cups half and half
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ½ chicken bouillon cube (or 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon)
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ⅓ cup Romano cheese, freshly grated
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp basil
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp parsley
- ⅛ tsp smoked paprika
- fresh lemon juice, to taste
- fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pound chicken to an even thickness. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then lightly dredge in flour. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and rest for 10 minutes, then slice.
- Add white wine to the skillet and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer 3–4 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add butter and garlic and cook 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half and half. Add bouillon and seasoning blend. Simmer gently until thickened.
- Boil pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Reduce heat to low and stir cheeses into the sauce until melted. Add pasta and sliced chicken. Toss to coat, thinning with pasta water if needed. Finish with lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
Adapted from The Cozy Cook. For best results, use freshly grated cheese and avoid high heat when finishing the sauce.