Description
This Creamy Chicken Pasta is rich, comforting, and made without wine—perfect for family dinners. Tender chicken is coated in Italian seasoning, pan-seared to perfection, and tossed in a velvety garlic cream sauce with Parmesan and Romano cheese. It’s an easy weeknight dinner that’s full of flavor, customizable with add-ins like spinach or sun-dried tomatoes, and completely alcohol-free.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (for dredging and thickening)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth (used instead of wine)
- 1 cup half and half (or a mix of light cream and milk)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup grated Romano cheese
- 8 oz pasta shells (or any preferred pasta)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: chopped fresh parsley or lemon juice for garnish
- Optional add-ins: baby spinach, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts in half to create thin cutlets. Season with Italian seasoning and dredge lightly in flour.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté garlic until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir to create a roux. Cook for about 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth, then half and half. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and reserve some pasta water.
- Stir Parmesan and Romano cheese into the sauce until melted. Return sliced chicken and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat.
- If needed, thin the sauce with a splash of reserved pasta water. Finish with fresh parsley or lemon juice, if desired.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute milk for half and half.
- Add red pepper flakes for a spicy twist.
- Use gluten-free flour and pasta to make this dish gluten-free.
- Rotisserie chicken can be used to save time—just skip the searing step.
- Best to combine pasta and sauce just before serving to keep the texture creamy.
