Description
Creamy One-Pot Chicken Pasta is the ultimate weeknight comfort food—tender chicken, perfectly cooked pasta, and a silky parmesan cream sauce made all in one pot. This easy one pot pasta recipe saves dishes and delivers big flavor with garlic, herbs, and a cozy creamy finish. Pinterest-friendly tip: save this creamy chicken pasta for busy nights, meal prep lunches, and quick family dinners—add spinach, mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes for simple variations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter (optional)
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
- 12 oz short pasta (penne, rotini, shells, farfalle)
- 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp lemon juice or a little zest (optional)
- Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil (and butter if using). Sear chicken 3–4 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Sauté onion 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits. Stir in heavy cream and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Add pasta, stir, and reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered 10–14 minutes, stirring often, until pasta is al dente and sauce thickens. Add splashes of broth if needed.
- Return chicken (and any juices) to the pot and simmer 2–4 minutes until cooked through.
- Turn off heat. Stir in parmesan until melted and creamy. Add spinach (if using) and stir until wilted. Finish with lemon juice/zest if desired.
- Serve hot with extra parmesan and cracked pepper.
Notes
- Stir frequently after adding pasta to prevent sticking and help the sauce thicken evenly.
- For the smoothest sauce, add parmesan off heat and use finely grated cheese.
- If the sauce thickens too much, loosen with a splash of broth or milk (especially when reheating).
- Want a “Tuscan” twist? Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and extra spinach at the end.
- Store leftovers 3–4 days; reheat gently with extra liquid to restore creaminess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
Keywords: Creamy One-Pot Chicken Pasta, one pot chicken pasta, creamy chicken pasta, one pot pasta, parmesan pasta, weeknight dinner, easy pasta recipe