One Pan Creamy Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken and penne pasta simmer with vegetables in a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce—all in one pan for easy cleanup.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Pasta & Liquids

09 - 10 oz penne or short pasta
10 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Oils & Extras

13 - 2 tbsp olive oil
14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# How to Make It:

01 - Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, ensuring even coating on all sides.
02 - In a large, deep skillet or sauté pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
03 - In the same pan, add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Stir in the red bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes until slightly tender.
05 - Add uncooked pasta to the pan, followed by chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
06 - Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
07 - Return the cooked chicken to the pan, add baby spinach, and stir in Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce thickens.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan so cleanup is practically nonexistent
  • The sauce develops this incredible richness from cooking directly with the pasta
  • Ready in 40 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
  • The sauce will look very thin when you first add the liquid, but it thickens beautifully as the pasta releases starch
  • Resist the urge to stir too frequently once the pasta starts simmering or it might become gummy
  • Removing the chicken before adding the liquid prevents it from overcooking and becoming tough
03 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of pre-shredded cheese for the smoothest sauce
  • Room temperature cream incorporates better and is less likely to separate

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