Creamy pasta with chicken and mushrooms

Very good creamy pasta that is suitable for Friday night. This dish is also child-friendly as I use leeks instead of regular onions.

Fry chicken, mushrooms and onions, add cream, wine and chicken stock.
Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package.
Season with salt and pepper and the dish is ready!

It is important to always use some pasta water in the sauce as the starch from the pasta makes the sauce thicker.

Creamy pasta with chicken and mushrooms is the Friday dinner that never disappoints. It is child-friendly, quick to make and tastes so good that it goes straight into the regular rotation. Leek instead of ordinary onion gives a milder, sweeter flavour that works really well for the whole family.

The sauce is what lifts the dish: cream, white wine and chicken stock reduced until rich enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Combined with juicy chicken and fried mushrooms, this is a proper, satisfying dinner.

Tips and variations

  • Fry the chicken, mushrooms, and leek separately over high heat before combining. This gives a better sear and more flavour.
  • Add the white wine and let it reduce almost completely before adding the cream. This gives depth without any alcohol flavour.
  • Chicken stock intensifies the chicken flavour in the sauce, so use homemade or a good ready-made stock.
  • Button mushrooms can be swapped for wild mushrooms, shiitake, or a mixture for a more complex mushroom flavour.
  • A handful of spinach stirred in at the end adds some vegetables and a fresh colour without affecting the flavour.

🍷 Wine tips

Chardonnay (Burgundy): Creamy pasta with chicken and mushrooms pairs naturally with Chardonnay: cream on cream. White Burgundy (Mâcon or Saint-Véran) is elegant and suitably delicate. An unoaked Australian Chardonnay is a great budget-friendly alternative.

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Creamy pasta with chicken and mushrooms

5.0 from 2 votes Rate the recipe

Child-friendly, creamy pasta, perfect for a Friday night!

Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min
Total 35 min
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta.

  2. Cut the chicken into suitable pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  3. Fry the chicken in oil and set aside.

  4. Cut the leek into thin slices, finely chop or crush the garlic.

  5. Fry mushrooms in butter, add leeks and garlic.

  6. Add 2 dl chicken stock and 1 dl white wine, reduce to about half.

  7. Cook pasta.

  8. Put the chicken back in the sauce.

  9. Add cream and bring the sauce to a boil.

  10. Add tarragon and a little pasta water to make the sauce thicker.

  11. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

  12. Add pasta, stir and serve.

Notes

Tips: Brown the chicken well over high heat before adding the sauce. Good browning gives much more flavour.

Storage: Keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat gently with a little extra cream.

Variations: Swap the mushrooms for spinach and sun-dried tomatoes for a more Mediterranean twist.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
711 kcal
Carbohydrates
74 g
Protein
30 g
Fat
32 g
Saturated fat
18 g
Polyunsaturated fat
2 g
Monounsaturated fat
8 g
Trans fat
1 g
Cholesterol
155 mg
Sodium
277 mg
Potassium
685 mg
Fiber
4 g
Sugar
7 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Frequently asked questions about creamy pasta with chicken and mushrooms

Can I use a different kind of meat?

Yes. Pork loin or turkey works just as well as chicken. For a lighter version you can use prawns, but add them only for the last 2 minutes so they do not overcook.

Can I make the dish without white wine?

Yes, replace the white wine with a little extra chicken stock and a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity. The flavour will be slightly rounder and less complex, but still very good.

Which pasta works best with a creamy sauce?

Penne, rigatoni and fusilli are good choices because they catch the creamy sauce inside the tubes. Tagliatelle or fettuccine are great alternatives if you prefer long pasta, as the wide ribbons hold the sauce well.

Can I substitute cream with a lighter alternative?

Crème fraîche gives a similar result with a slight tang. Avoid low-fat alternatives, as they tend to split when heated.

How do I keep the chicken moist?

Sear the chicken separately until golden but not fully cooked through, then let it finish cooking in the sauce for the last few minutes.

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