Creamy Chicken Pasta (One Pot!)

Creamy pasta—is there anything better? Why yes, there is! Creamy chicken pasta, which means you don’t have to figure out a protein to add to your meal. And it’s all made in a single pot! This is a recipe that I can almost guarantee will be on frequent weeknight dinner rotation in your home. It’s certainly become one of our favorites!

Although one pan pasta recipes like this chicken pasta, taco pasta and Cajun chicken pasta, are often hearty enough to stand on their own, I usually add a simple salad or vegetable. Keep reading for a few easy side dish ideas that go well with this creamy pasta recipe.

The best Creamy Chicken Pasta

Quick and easy. This one pot dinner is as simple as can be, without anything fussy or complicated. You can have it on the table in about 45 minutes. And we can’t forget that cleanup is also a breeze since you only have one pan to wash. You won’t need a big pasta pot or colander since the pasta cooks right in the sauce.

Family-friendly. Kids and adults will both love the tender chicken and rich sauce in this creamy chicken pasta recipe. Sometimes it feels like you can never find a recipe that pleases your kids and you but this is one of those fantastic dishes that will have everyone running to the table. It really does taste like an expensive restaurant meal.

Customizable. Like shrimp Alfredo, creamy chicken pasta is a basic pasta-and-cream sauce recipe that’s easy to put your own spin on since it pairs well with so many possible add-ins. Scroll down to the variation ideas later in this post for inspiration.

Ingredient Notes

• Olive oil: Use olive oil to sauté the chicken and the aromatics. Other types of cooking oil are fine, too.
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe because they are easy to cut into bite-sized pieces and cook fairly quickly. If you prefer chicken thighs, you can swap those in but make sure they’re still boneless and skinless.
• Salt and pepper: I like using freshly ground pepper; not only is it more flavorful, but when it’s coarsely ground, it adds a little bit of texture too.
• Onion and garlic: An everyday yellow onion is fine. Be sure to mince it finely so it adds flavor to the cream sauce without giving it a chunky texture.
• Chicken broth: Using broth instead of water infuses the pasta with flavor as it simmers in the sauce. Look for low sodium or no-salt-added broth, if you prefer, or substitute homemade broth.
• Heavy cream: Heavy cream may be labeled as heavy whipping cream. Be sure to take the cream out of the refrigerator before you start cooking so it has a chance to warm up. It’s best if the cream is at room temperature when you add it to the skillet or the sauce may separate.
• Pasta: I like using a hearty pasta like penne or rotini for this recipe.
• Grated Parmesan cheese: While freshly grated is always best, this recipe absolutely works with the inexpensive shelf-stable Parmesan cheese that comes in the green container.
• Seasonings: Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes if you’d like, and a little bit of minced fresh parsley.

How to Make One Pan Creamy Chicken Pasta

Cook the chicken. You’ll need a large skillet that has a lid. Begin by heating the olive oil set over medium-high heat, then add the cubed chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook the chicken until lightly browned on all sides, stirring occasionally, about 6 or 7 minutes. The chicken should be completely cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and discard any juices that remain in the pan.

Sauté the aromatics. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook the diced onions a few minutes until they’re softened. Stir in the garlic and cook until it’s fragrant, about 1 minute.

Simmer. Pour in the chicken broth, then stir in the pasta and seasonings. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium heat. Cover the pan, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir occasionally to make sure the pasta isn’t sticking.

Finish. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan. It’s important to lower the heat before you add the cream and cheese; high heat can make the sauce separate. Once everything is incorporated, stir in the cooked chicken and the parsley; simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens a bit (don’t boil the sauce).

Serve. Check the seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with additional parsley and cheese.

Easy Recipe Variations

• Add a veggie. At the end of the cooking time, add thawed frozen peas or baby spinach; heat until the peas are warm or the spinach wilts. I often choose this option so I don’t necessarily have to make a side vegetable.
• Swap out the parsley. Fresh basil would also be fantastic with this cream sauce, as would minced fresh rosemary. A spoonful of basil pesto stirred into the sauce would be lovely, too.
• Make it lemony. Add the zest of one lemon when you stir in the parsley at the end of the cooking time.
• Use leftover chicken. Instead of cooking the chicken, you can use leftover chicken (like these air fryer chicken breasts) or rotisserie chicken to streamline your cooking process even more. Simply skip the first step of cooking the chicken; stir leftover chicken into the cream sauce as directed.

Serving Suggestions

Salad. Pair a bag of your favorite greens with balsamic vinaigrette for a light salad to serve with your creamy chicken pasta. This classic house salad is a good choice, too.

Vegetable sides. Easy air fryer asparagus or roasted mushrooms would both work well with the flavors in this recipe. Roasted broccoli is one of our favorites or simple sautéed sugar snap peas.

Bread. Texas toast garlic bread is always a hit. If you purchase bakery bread, serve it with my restaurant-style bread dipping oil. Dutch oven bread is an artisan-style bread that’s easy to make (but you have to start it the night before).

Refrigerator: Transfer leftover creamy chicken pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe unless you’re not able to eat the leftovers within 3 days and have no other option. Cream-based sauces have a tendency to separate or take on a grainy texture after freezing, and pasta in general often gets mushy in the freezer. If you do have to freeze this recipe, store it in a freezer bag with the excess air pressed out and freeze for up to 2 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat: Warm the pasta in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave. If needed, you can add a splash of cream or broth to loosen up the sauce a bit.

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet (with lid available) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, transferring it to a clean plate, and set aside. Discard any accumulated juices.

  1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

• In the same pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil; add the chopped onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.

  ½ cup diced onion, 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

• Add the chicken broth to the pan. Stir in the pasta, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium.

  3 cups chicken broth, more as needed, 8 oz. pasta, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

• Cover the skillet and continue to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender. Add more broth or water as needed, but the majority of the liquid should be absorbed by the time the pasta has finished cooking.

• Once the pasta is cooked, reduce heat to medium low, and stir in the cream and Parmesan cheese. Return the chicken to the pan; simmer over low heat until sauce has thickened slightly (don’t boil). Stir in parsley.

  1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, additional for garnishing

• Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and additional Parmesan, if desired.

• Heavy cream: For best results, take the cream out of the refrigerator when you begin cooking the meal so it has a chance to warm up. Heavy cream may be labeled as heavy whipping cream. 
• Reduced sodium: Use low sodium or no-salt-added chicken broth, or homemade broth. The nutrition information is calculated using regular chicken broth. 
• Possible variations: At the end of the cooking time, add thawed frozen peas or baby spinach; heat until the peas are warm or the spinach wilts. If you prefer, substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs, or leftover cooked chicken (add at Step 5). Try a different herb such as fresh basil or finely minced rosemary. Add a teaspoon of lemon zest if you like. 

Serving: 2cups, Calories: 776kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 50g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 190mg, Sodium: 1384mg, Potassium: 921mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1168IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 197mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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