Creamy Chicken Mushroom Pasta

nibbleboard.com/recipes/chicken-mushroom-pasta

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Cook the penne in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente, about 1 minute less than the package says. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta cooks, season the thinly sliced chicken generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and foaming, add the chicken in a single layer and cook without moving until golden on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Add the onion and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
6. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until golden on the bottom, then stir and cook another 2 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Pour in the white wine and let it simmer until reduced by half, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
8. Add the chicken stock and heavy cream, stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together until smooth, then stir into the sauce. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
9. Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Toss in the drained pasta and half the Parmesan. Stir everything together, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
10. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with remaining Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.

Nutrition per Serving

Chef Tips

• I've found that slicing the chicken thin (about 1/4 inch) is the key to keeping cook time short and getting more golden surface area. Thick chunks end up rubbery by the time they brown.
• Don't stir the mushrooms right away — let them sit undisturbed on the hot pan so they caramelize instead of steaming. After trying both ways, I'll never go back to constant stirring.
• If you don't cook with wine, swap in an equal amount of chicken stock plus a squeeze of lemon juice. You'll lose a little depth but it still tastes great.
• The cornstarch slurry is optional if your sauce reduces enough on its own, but it gives you that clingy, restaurant-style coating that actually sticks to the pasta.
• Leftovers reheat beautifully — add a splash of milk or stock when reheating so the cream sauce loosens back up instead of going gluey.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb some sauce as it sits — this is normal.