Chicken mushroom pasta is a delicious, quick, and easy dinner idea. It’s made with no cream, and it’s one of the best chicken pasta recipes.
Chicken Mushroom Pasta
The creamy mushroom sauce in this pasta dinner was exactly what it sounds like – so creamy, and so good.
The mushrooms had an amazing texture because they browned in the butter before simmering in the sauce. You can taste the garlic and the sweetness of the onion, and it all mingles together to make an incredible white pasta sauce.
The chicken was super juicy, and the spice blend it’s coated in added tons of flavor that really brought the whole dish to another level.
I love making pasta any time of the year. Since it’s so easy to make, it always feels like the perfect weeknight family meal. I also love that it can be comforting and delicious in the winter, or it can be a really tasty way to make a cooked meal in the summer that doesn’t heat up your house too much while the air conditioning is running.
Creamy Mushroom and Chicken Pasta Ingredients
For this recipe, you’ll need to make a spice blend for the chicken that’s made with olive oil, garlic powder, parsley, thyme, black pepper, and sea salt.
In addition to the seasoned chicken, you’ll also need penne, butter, mushrooms, onion, garlic, milk, chicken broth, parmesan, and cream cheese.
How To Make Chicken And Mushroom Pasta With No Cream
We’re using cream cheese instead of heavy cream to make the creamy mushroom pasta sauce in this recipe. Cream cheese is an ingredient that’s more affordable where I live, and I think it’s easier to find ways to use up the leftovers, so that’s why we’re using it instead.
To make this easy pasta dinner, coat the chicken in the oil and spice blend, then saute it until it’s cooked through. Saute the mushrooms until they’re golden, then add in the onion and garlic.
Add in the chicken broth and milk and bring it to a simmer, then add in the cheeses and stir constantly until the cheeses have melted. Once the sauce has thickened, toss it with the pasta and sliced chicken. See the recipe card below for the full instructions including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
What Type Of Chicken Should I Use?
I prefer to use air chilled chicken breasts for this recipe because I think they take on the flavor of the oil and spice blend the best. You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if that’s what you have or if it’s what you prefer. Air chilled chicken is best because the cooked chicken will be juicier and have a better texture.
If you want to use up some leftover rotisserie chicken, shred it and then pan fry it in a skillet with the oil and spice blend so that it gets crispy and flavorful.
What Type Of Pasta Should I Use?
My favorite pasta for this recipe is penne. If you want to try a different noodle, these ones would also taste great with the creamy white pasta sauce: farfalle (bowtie), spaghetti, linguine, and ghnocchi.
Optional Additions
I love this recipe as-is, but there a few categories of ingredients you could play with if you want to change it up a bit.
- Spices and Herbs: Try adding red chili flakes to make it spicy, or use some basil or dill for a different flavor profile.
- Meat: This would taste amazing with some sausage crumbles, crispy bacon, or pancetta.
- Mushrooms: I normally use button or cremini mushrooms in this meal, but you could also try shiitake or chopped portobello mushrooms.
- Vegetables: If you want to add more vegetables to this dish, I think the ones that would taste the best are broccoli, kale, spinach, asparagus, or artichoke hearts.
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Chicken Pasta Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out our entire pasta recipe section! Some reader favorite chicken pasta recipes are:
Best Chicken Mushroom Pasta Recipe
Chicken mushroom pasta is a delicious, quick, and easy dinner idea. It's made with no cream, and it's one of the best chicken pasta recipes.
Ingredients
Chicken and Seasoning:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 2 large breasts)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Creamy Mushroom Pasta Sauce:
- 3 cups dry penne pasta (300 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (about 6 - 7 mushrooms)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 2 medium cloves garlic (minced)
- 3/4 cup milk*
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus a bit extra for garnish)**
- 4 ounces of cream cheese (half a brick, softened, cut into cubes)
- 1/2 Tablespoon diced fresh parsley (optional, to garnish)
Instructions
Chicken:
- In a medium bowl, add the oil, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried thyme, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Mix.
- Butterfly the chicken all the way through so you have 4 even fillets.
- Put the chicken in the bowl with the oil and spice blend and evenly coat.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add chicken to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes per side until golden brown, or until the internal temperature reads 165 F on an instant read meat thermometer. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Turn the heat down to just above medium, and add the butter from the mushroom sauce into the skillet now to prevent the remaining spices from burning.
Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- When the water is boiling, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to al dente, according to the package instructions.
- When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it in a colander.
Creamy Mushroom Sauce:
- Melt the butter in the pan, and then add the mushrooms. Let the mushrooms cook for about 4 minutes on each side before moving or flipping (you want them to be golden and slightly caramelized before adding the onions)
- Once the mushrooms are golden brown, add the onions and cook for about 3 minutes,(you can add a little more butter to saute the onions if needed). Next, add in the minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, or until aromatic.
- Add the chicken broth and the milk and bring to a simmer. Immediately add in the cubed cream cheese and parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until they are fully melted. Continue to simmer to allow the sauce to thicken (this should take around 7 - 8 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste. *It’s important to only simmer the sauce and not boil it (because boiling milk changes the taste and can cause it to separate).
- Slice the chicken into thin strips.
- Mix the pasta and chicken into the sauce and garnish with the fresh parsley and extra parmesan cheese and serve.
Notes
*Whole milk is the best for this recipe, because the sauce will thicken faster. 2% will also work, but it will take a little longer to thicken. The batch in the photos was made with 2%.
**Freshly grated parmesan cheese will melt into the sauce better. Pre-grated cheeses are coated in a starch to prevent the shreds from sticking together, but they make it more difficult to melt the cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 493Total Fat: 20.7gCarbohydrates: 45.1gNet Carbohydrates: 42.9gFiber: 2.2gSugar: 5gProtein: 30.6g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate. This recipe makes 4 large or 6 small servings. Nutrition was calculated for portions that make 6 servings made with 2% milk.
If you’re looking for a new chicken pasta recipe to try, add this super tasty chicken mushroom pasta to your list! It’s perfect for a family meal and fancy enough for date night.
