Description
This Easy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta Recipe combines juicy chicken thighs, flavorful mushrooms, and a rich creamy sauce infused with garlic, fresh herbs, white wine, and parmesan. Perfectly al dente pasta is tossed in the luscious sauce for a comforting and elegant meal that’s simple to prepare on the stovetop.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 200 grams dried pasta (or 300 grams fresh)
Chicken
- 2 x chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on recommended)
- 1 tablespoon flour (optional, for dusting)
Pan Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 200 grams mushrooms, sliced (cremini recommended)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or thyme (or both)
- ½ cup white wine (Sauvignon Blanc suggested)
- ¾ cup light cream (use heavy cream if in the U.S.)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus zest to serve
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 50 grams parmesan, finely grated
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for one minute less than package instructions to keep it slightly undercooked. Reserve one cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper, then lightly dust with flour to encourage browning.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs smooth side down and cook for 7 minutes, lowering heat if browning too quickly. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes or until fully cooked through. Remove the chicken and keep warm, loosely covered with aluminum foil.
- Sauté Mushrooms: In the same skillet, add butter and a drizzle of olive oil if the pan is dry. Add the sliced mushrooms, tossing to coat. Lower heat to medium and let mushrooms cook mostly undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown, turning once halfway through.
- Add Aromatics: Stir in the finely diced garlic and fresh rosemary or thyme. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze and Reduce: Pour in the white wine, increasing the heat slightly to bring to a gentle simmer. Allow wine to reduce for 2 to 3 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
- Add Cream: Stir in the light cream and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, avoiding boiling. Mix well to combine.
- Melt Parmesan: Push mushrooms to one side of the pan. Add parmesan in two batches, stirring until each addition is fully melted and incorporated into the sauce.
- Season the Sauce: Add black pepper, sea salt, and lemon juice. Use a flat whisk to mix everything quickly and evenly.
- Combine Pasta and Chicken: Slice the cooked chicken into strips and add it along with the drained pasta to the sauce. Toss well and allow to gently bubble for 1 to 2 minutes so the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the chopped flat leaf parsley. Serve immediately with lemon zest and extra grated parmesan sprinkled on top.
Notes
- Chicken: Thighs provide the juiciest results, but chicken breasts can be used if preferred—keep breasts whole to stay tender and avoid overcooking.
- Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms have the best flavor for this dish, but white button or portobello mushrooms also work well.
- Wine Substitute: If you do not wish to cook with wine, replace it with chicken stock and add an additional squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.
- Cream: Use single or light cream; in the U.S., heavy cream or whipping cream is preferable. If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Pasta: Undercooking the pasta by one minute allows it to finish cooking in the sauce, ensuring it stays perfectly al dente.
- Sauce Thickness: Cream sauces thicken as they cool. Keep sauce slightly looser in the pan to achieve the perfect consistency when served.
Keywords: chicken mushroom pasta, creamy chicken pasta, easy dinner recipes, Italian pasta dishes, stovetop pasta recipe