Description
A creamy, garlicky pasta dish with tender chicken and perfectly cooked penne. The rich sauce is made with garlic, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese, making for a comforting and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)
Instructions
- Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken strips and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir to coat it in the creamy sauce.
- Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet, tossing everything together to combine and coat the pasta in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more chicken broth to reach your desired consistency.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately!
Notes
- If you’d like to add some vegetables, spinach, mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes are great additions to this dish.
- For a lighter version, you can substitute half-and-half or milk for the heavy cream, but the sauce won’t be as rich and creamy.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days and reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg