One Pan Creamy Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

Comforting pasta dish with chicken, vegetables, and creamy parmesan sauce—all cooked in one pan.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Pasta & Liquids

09 - 10 oz penne or short pasta
10 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Oils & Extras

13 - 2 tbsp olive oil
14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Season the chicken pieces thoroughly with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, ensuring even coverage on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - In the same pan, add chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
04 - Stir in diced red bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes until slightly softened but still retaining some crunch.
05 - Add uncooked pasta to the pan, followed by chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir well to combine, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for added flavor.
06 - Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
07 - Return cooked chicken to the pan along with baby spinach and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring until spinach wilts and sauce thickens slightly.
08 - Taste the dish and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, garnished generously with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so you spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying your meal
  • The pasta absorbs all those incredible flavors while it cooks, creating the most luscious sauce imaginable
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes but tastes like something from a cozy Italian restaurant
02 -
  • The pasta continues absorbing liquid even after you turn off the heat, so if the sauce looks too thick, add a splash of broth before serving
  • Using low-sodium chicken broth is crucial because the Parmesan and seasoning already add plenty of salt
  • Do not skip scraping up the browned bits from the chicken, that is where all the depth of flavor lives
03 -
  • Cut your chicken into uniform pieces so everything cooks at the same rate, preventing some pieces from drying out while others finish cooking
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-shredded cheese, it melts into the sauce so much better

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