Description
A rich and comforting creamy pasta made with tender chicken, sweet peas, and a blend of mozzarella and parmesan cheese, all tossed in a silky garlic cream sauce. Perfect for a cozy family dinner and ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces penne or rotini pasta
- 2 medium chicken breast pieces, about 1 pound, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Season the diced chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes until golden and fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté the minced garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir in Italian seasoning and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the peas and cooked chicken back into the skillet and stir to combine.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Remove from heat and stir in mozzarella and parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt if needed. Let rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cook pasta just to al dente so it stays firm after mixing with sauce.
- Add cheese off the heat to keep the sauce smooth and creamy.
- If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of warm broth or milk when reheating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: creamy pasta with chicken, chicken peas pasta, creamy chicken pasta recipe, cheesy chicken pasta, easy weeknight pasta