Description
Creamy Ricotta Chicken Pasta is a delicious, comforting dish featuring tender chicken breast pieces in a velvety ricotta cream sauce with pasta. This dish is easy to make, rich in flavor, and perfect for a family dinner. The smooth ricotta cheese creates a luscious sauce that perfectly complements the chicken and pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
- 12 oz pasta (penne, fettuccine, or your favorite type)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (or pasta water)
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional, for added richness)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water (or chicken broth). Set aside. - Cook the Chicken:
While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. - Make the Creamy Sauce:
In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream and ricotta cheese. Stir well to combine and let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Add the Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, and chicken broth (or pasta water) to thin out the sauce. Stir to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. - Combine Chicken and Pasta:
Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet with the creamy sauce, stirring to coat the chicken in the sauce.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add more chicken broth or pasta water to reach the desired consistency. - Serve:
Once everything is well combined, serve the creamy ricotta chicken pasta on plates. Garnish with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can sauté some spinach, mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes and mix them into the sauce.
- To make this dish lighter, you can substitute the heavy cream with half-and-half or use low-fat ricotta cheese.
- This recipe also works well with shrimp or ground turkey as an alternative to chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate of pasta with chicken and sauce
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 90mg