Description
A creamy, customizable pasta dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights. This versatile recipe can be made with pre-cooked chicken and adapts well to various dietary preferences.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound pasta (penne, rotini, or farfalle)
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional vegetables of choice (spinach, peas, bell peppers, or broccoli)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water until al dente.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in parmesan cheese until melted and sauce begins to thicken.
- Add cooked chicken and any desired vegetables.
- Season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Combine with cooked pasta and serve hot.
Notes
- Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe.
- For a thicker sauce, simmer longer or use a cornstarch slurry.
- Make it dairy-free by using coconut cream and nutritional yeast.
- Add vegetables based on cooking time – harder vegetables with pasta, softer ones at the end.
- Medium pasta shapes work best for sauce adhesion.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: creamy pasta, chicken pasta, easy dinner, customizable pasta, family dinner
