20-Minute Creamy Chicken And Mushroom Pasta (NOT much cream!)
User Reviews
4.5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
2
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Calories
722 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
20-Minute Creamy Chicken And Mushroom Pasta (NOT much cream!)
Description
The 20-Minute Creamy Chicken And Mushroom Pasta blends tender pieces of sautéed chicken breast with earthy mushrooms and garlic. Cooking the ingredients in olive oil and deglazing with white wine (or substitute chicken stock) introduces depth without heaviness. Pasta is cooked just shy of package instructions to retain firmness and then combined directly with the sauce, leveraging reserved cooking water to loosen and bring everything together. Lemon zest lifts the creamy sauce made from a small amount of crème fraîche, adding subtle tang without richness overpowering the dish. Fresh chopped parsley sprinkled in brightens flavors, and parmesan cheese is offered at serving for added savory notes.
Preparation is straightforward: mushrooms are cooked after the chicken to ensure even texture, garlic is briefly sautéed to release aroma, and finishing with lemon zest enhances the dish's freshness. This pasta works well for a quick weeknight meal, using common kitchen staples, with flexibility to adjust pasta type or add extra vegetables if desired.
Variations from the notes include adding sundried tomatoes, artichokes, spinach, or lightly pan-frying bacon or asparagus for additional layers of flavor. For a vegetarian adaptation, omit chicken while retaining the creamy mushroom sauce that remains flavorful on its own.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking
- 10 ounces chicken breast (or thigh) chopped into small pieces and tossed with a little salt and black pepper to taste.
- 6 ounces pasta (dried or fresh) I like pappardelle, but tagliatelle, linguine, fettuccine or any other pasta will work too.
- 9 ounces mushrooms (sliced) I prefer tasty mushrooms such as chestnut, brown, cremini or a medley of mushrooms, but use any you like.
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- ¼ cup white wine (or chicken stock if you prefer)
- 1 lemon zest only
- 4 tablespoons crème fraîche (or heavy/double cream)
- 1 bunch parsley small) washed and chopped finely, fresh
- Parmesan Cheese to serve, grated
Instructions
- Heat up the oil in a large pan. Then stir fry the chicken for a few minutes on a medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside for now.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan you cooked the chicken in. Cook until softened (a few minutes). Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer, then add the wine and let sizzle for a moment.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta until 'al dente' (just cooked), or a couple of minutes less than it says on the package.
- Now add the lemon zest to the pan, followed by the crème fraiche or cream and most of the parsley. Then stir the cooked chicken back into the mushroom mixture.
- Lift the pappardelle out of the cooking water and add directly to the pan using kitchen tongs. Toss everything together well, then add enough cooking water to make the dish loose and silky.
- Serve out into two bowls. Sprinkle with the rest of the parsley and parmesan to taste.
Notes
- Choose ribbon-shaped pasta like pappardelle, tagliatelle, fettuccine, or linguine for best sauce adherence.
- Cook pasta al dente or slightly under package time, then transfer directly from boiling water to the pan with the sauce to maintain moisture.
- Crème fraîche lends a light tang; you can substitute with heavy or double cream if preferred.
- White wine can be replaced with chicken stock for a milder flavor.
- Consider adding vegetables or bacon as mentioned for extra texture and taste variations.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken; the mushroom sauce is flavorful alone.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 722 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 722kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 77g | 26% |
| Protein | 48g | 96% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 125mg | 42% |
| Sodium | 203mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 1408mg | 30% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 2896IU | 58% |
| Vitamin C | 72mg | 80% |
| Calcium | 107mg | 11% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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