Creamy Chicken Pasta
Dive into this delightful creamy chicken pasta that’s sure to become a family favorite! With tender chicken, rich cream, and a sprinkle of Parmesan, this dish comes together in a jiffy, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Your little ones will be begging for seconds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- garlic and onion powder
- 4 crushed garlic cloves
- some spinach
- some tomatoes
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 3 chicken breasts
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- an eight ounce block of cream cheese (227 g)
- about a cup and a half of heavy cream (360 ml)
- some parmesan cheese
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- olive oil
- 16 ounces of cooked pasta (454 g)
- some pasta water
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- some garlic powder
- some onion powder
- nature's season
- some kinders, buttery garlic and herb
- smoked paprika
📦Other(1)
- 24 ounces of marinara sauce (680 g)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Slice the chicken breasts in half and season with garlic and onion powder, nature's season, kinders buttery garlic and herb, smoked paprika, and olive oil.
- 2
Sauté the chicken in a hot skillet for 5-10 minutes until crispy and cooked through, then remove.
- 3
Sauté crushed garlic cloves for a couple of minutes, then add marinara sauce, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Whisk until smooth.
- 4
Add garlic powder, onion powder, buttery garlic and herb, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, and a bit of pasta water.
- 5
Mix in cooked pasta and spinach, let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
- 6
Add diced tomatoes and the cooked chicken, let it simmer for another 10 minutes before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound chicken breasts to 3/4-inch uniform thickness before slicing to ensure even cooking and prevent the thinner pieces from drying out while thicker sections remain undercooked.technique3/4-inch thickness
- ✓Heat your skillet to 375-400°F before adding chicken so the Maillard reaction creates proper browning and seals in moisture within the first 30 seconds of contact.technique375-400°F
- ✓Temper your cream cheese to room temperature and cube it into 1-inch pieces before whisking into the hot sauce to prevent lumps and achieve smooth emulsification.ingredient1-inch pieces
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water and add it gradually to the sauce because the starch content (8-12%) acts as a natural emulsifier to bind the cream and prevent breaking.technique8-12% starch content
- ✓Add fresh spinach during the last 2 minutes of the 5-minute simmer to retain its bright color and prevent it from releasing excess water that would thin your sauce.timing2 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Creamy Chicken Pasta
Dive into this delightful creamy chicken pasta that’s sure to become a family favorite! With tender chicken, rich cream, and a sprinkle of Parmesan, this dish comes together in a jiffy, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Your little ones will be begging for seconds!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- garlic and onion powder
- 4 crushed garlic cloves
- some spinach
- some tomatoes
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 3 chicken breasts
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- an eight ounce block of cream cheese (227 g)
- about a cup and a half of heavy cream (360 ml)
- some parmesan cheese
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- olive oil
- 16 ounces of cooked pasta (454 g)
- some pasta water
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- some garlic powder
- some onion powder
- nature's season
- some kinders, buttery garlic and herb
- smoked paprika
📦Other(1)
- 24 ounces of marinara sauce (680 g)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Slice the chicken breasts in half and season with garlic and onion powder, nature's season, kinders buttery garlic and herb, smoked paprika, and olive oil.
- 2
Sauté the chicken in a hot skillet for 5-10 minutes until crispy and cooked through, then remove.
- 3
Sauté crushed garlic cloves for a couple of minutes, then add marinara sauce, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Whisk until smooth.
- 4
Add garlic powder, onion powder, buttery garlic and herb, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, and a bit of pasta water.
- 5
Mix in cooked pasta and spinach, let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
- 6
Add diced tomatoes and the cooked chicken, let it simmer for another 10 minutes before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound chicken breasts to 3/4-inch uniform thickness before slicing to ensure even cooking and prevent the thinner pieces from drying out while thicker sections remain undercooked.technique3/4-inch thickness
- ✓Heat your skillet to 375-400°F before adding chicken so the Maillard reaction creates proper browning and seals in moisture within the first 30 seconds of contact.technique375-400°F
- ✓Temper your cream cheese to room temperature and cube it into 1-inch pieces before whisking into the hot sauce to prevent lumps and achieve smooth emulsification.ingredient1-inch pieces
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water and add it gradually to the sauce because the starch content (8-12%) acts as a natural emulsifier to bind the cream and prevent breaking.technique8-12% starch content
- ✓Add fresh spinach during the last 2 minutes of the 5-minute simmer to retain its bright color and prevent it from releasing excess water that would thin your sauce.timing2 minutes