Creamy Chicken Pasta Dish (Printable)

A comforting pasta with tender chicken, sautéed vegetables, and a smooth, creamy sauce for easy dinners.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine

→ Protein

02 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
09 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves

→ Creamy Sauce

10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 1/3 cup chicken broth
12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs
14 - Pinch of ground nutmeg

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Extra Parmesan, for serving

# Steps:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente following package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, then set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken strips with salt and pepper, cook for 5 to 7 minutes until golden and fully cooked. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - Reduce skillet heat to medium. Sauté onion for 2 minutes until translucent, then add garlic and bell pepper; cook another 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
04 - Add heavy cream and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir in Parmesan cheese, dried Italian herbs, and nutmeg. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
05 - Incorporate baby spinach and cooked chicken into the sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
06 - Toss pasta with the creamy sauce, adding reserved pasta water gradually to achieve desired consistency.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes flat, making it perfect for nights when you're tired but hungry.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta without feeling heavy, because we balance cream with broth and a pinch of nutmeg that nobody can quite identify.
  • You get vegetables, protein, and comfort all in one bowl, so there's no scrambling for sides.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water—that starchy liquid is magic for thinning the sauce to the exact texture you want without making it taste watered down.
  • If the cream breaks or looks grainy, lower the heat immediately and add a splash of broth; cream is temperamental about high heat.
  • The nutmeg is your secret weapon, but use it sparingly—you shouldn't taste it directly, just feel it making everything taste richer and more rounded.
03 -
  • Grate the Parmesan fresh from a block if you can—pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting as smoothly.
  • Let the sauce simmer a minute or two after adding the cream and broth; this reduces it slightly and makes it coat the pasta rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

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