Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken with mushrooms in a rich creamy sauce served over perfectly cooked pasta for a comforting meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 17.6 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 9 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)

→ Dairy & Liquids

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
09 - 1/4 cup chicken broth
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pasta

11 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sauté until golden and fully cooked, about 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
03 - Add the remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet. Sauté onions and mushrooms until softened and browned, approximately 6–8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and Italian herbs. Stir until cheese melts and sauce thickens, about 2–3 minutes.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes to meld flavors. Thin sauce with reserved pasta water if needed.
06 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat evenly with sauce. Stir in chopped parsley and serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, which means dinner can be on the table before you've finished your first glass of wine.
  • The cream sauce is so naturally silky that people always assume you spent hours on it, when really you just let butter and mushrooms do their magic.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day as the flavors get to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving that pasta water before you drain it, because that starchy liquid is your secret weapon if the sauce ever gets too thick or breaks.
  • The mushrooms will release a lot of liquid at first and seem like they're not browning, but patience is everything here—let them sit undisturbed for a couple minutes so they can caramelize and concentrate their earthy flavor.
  • Fresh parmesan makes a real difference, not the pre-shredded kind that contains cellulose and won't melt as smoothly into your cream.
03 -
  • Keep your heat at medium or medium-low once the cream goes in, because high heat can cause cream to break and split into sad, greasy puddles instead of staying silky.
  • Taste as you go and adjust your seasoning in stages rather than all at once, because the pasta water and cheese will add their own salt and umami as you fold everything together.
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