Description
Creamy parmesan chicken pasta brings Italian comfort to weeknight dinners with minimal cleanup. Savory chicken, rich sauce, and tender noodles combine for a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken tenderloins or chicken cutlets, boneless thighs
- 2 tbsps (26 g) butter
- 2 tsps (30 ml) olive oil (not extra virgin)
- ¾ cup (180 ml) half and half (single cream in the UK)
- ¾ cup (64 g) shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps shredded parmesan
- 2 tbsps (15 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken stock
- 8 oz (225 g) dried pasta (any shape)
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Seasoning Preparation: Blend flour with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Thoroughly coat chicken tenderloins, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
- Protein Searing: Activate a large Dutch oven, melt butter with olive oil to create a golden cooking surface. Execute chicken searing until fully cooked, then transfer to a warm holding plate.
- Aromatic Foundation: Utilize the pot’s residual oils to caramelize onions until translucent. Introduce minced garlic, allowing its essence to permeate the cooking environment.
- Liquid Integration: Stream chicken stock into the pot, extracting browned culinary remnants. Merge remaining stock and half and half, constructing a velvety liquid foundation.
- Pasta Cooking Process: Submerge dried pasta into the liquid mixture, ensuring complete immersion. Accelerate to a rolling boil, then reduce thermal intensity, cover, and allow gentle simmering for 11-13 minutes, occasionally disrupting to prevent adhesion.
- Sauce Refinement: As pasta cooks, sprinkle remaining Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese, stirring continuously. Observe natural sauce thickening and developing complexity.
- Final Composition: Calibrate seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Reunite cooked chicken with pasta, either positioning atop or integrating thoroughly for harmonious flavor distribution.
Notes
- Flour Coating Technique: Evenly coat chicken in seasoned flour to create a delicate, flavorful crust that locks in moisture and adds rich texture.
- One-Pot Magic: Using the same pot for multiple cooking stages builds deep, layered flavors by preserving browned bits and cooking residue.
- Pasta Cooking Wisdom: Stir pasta occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking, watching liquid absorption for perfect al dente texture.
- Sauce Thickening Secret: Allow sauce to rest and cool slightly after cooking, which naturally enhances its creamy consistency and helps parmesan cheese melt smoothly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 572
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 745 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg