Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pasta with Red Pepper - pasta in a creamy, garlicky sauce with slices of juicy chicken, mushrooms, and red peppers. A quick and easy pasta dish full of amazing flavor. Ready in under 30 minutes.
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Mushroom Chicken Pasta is a family favorite
Pasta is my go-to dish when I want a quick and easy dinner that the whole family loves. And nothing satisfies a carb craving like a big bowl of creamy, garlicky pasta with chicken. Flavored with mushrooms, red bell peppers, and parmesan – a wonderful combination. It’s definitely a family favorite!
What’s my secret to amazing pasta dishes?
It starts off with a good quality, al dente pasta. Next is my garlicky cream sauce that’s a base for many of my pasta sauces. It’s seasoned perfectly with garlic, cream, and parmesan – that umami flavor bomb. The real secret? Flavor combinations that perfectly balance each other.
In this case, I wanted a mushroom pasta. What pairs well with mushroom? Definitely butter and cream. And for delicious depth of flavor that complements the mushrooms, to scent the sauce, and add color and texture: red bell peppers and a sprinkling of thyme and parsley. Thyme adds an earthy, woodsy flavor. Parsley adds a bright, fresh flavor.
How to make Mushroom Chicken Pasta
For quicker, more even cooking, slightly flatten breasts with a kitchen mallet. If they are very thick, slice them in half horizontally before flattening. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté chicken breasts in a little oil until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and slice. Skinless, boneless chicken thighs work great in this recipe, too.
Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan. Add onions and cook until softened. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Add the red pepper and garlic, stir, and cook for about 2 minutes.
Deglaze pan with water and bouillon cube, scraping bottom to release any bits sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add cream and thyme. Bring to a simmer. Let simmer 2-3 minutes then turn off heat. Add parmesan slowly, whisking constantly until melted. Salt and pepper to taste. I like to add the sliced chicken to the sauce so it gets good and covered with sauce.
Sprinkle with parsley, then toss with pasta.
Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pasta with Red Pepper and Thyme
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pasta with Red Pepper and Thyme- pasta in a creamy, garlicky sauce with slices of juicy chicken, mushrooms, and red peppers. A quick and easy pasta dish full of amazing flavor. Ready in under 30 minutes
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Ingredients
- 1 lb penne (500g) or other pasta (cooked until al dente and tossed with 2 tablespoons butter)
- 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
- 1 lb (500g) chicken breasts (or boneless, skinless thighs)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- ½ lb mushrooms (sliced (250g))
- 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
- 5 cloves of garlic (minced fine)
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 cup water ((8oz, 227g))
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream ((10oz, 283g))
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese ((3oz, 85g))
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- For quicker, more even cooking, slightly flatten breasts with a kitchen mallet. If they are very thick, slice them in half horizontally before flattening. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a skillet over high heat. When pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil.
- When oil is hot, put chicken in pan and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and slice.
- Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan. Add onions and cook until softened.
- Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown.
- Add the red pepper and garlic, stir, and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze pan with water and bouillon cube, scraping bottom to release any bits sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Add cream and thyme. Bring to a simmer. Let simmer 2-3 minutes then turn off heat.
- Add parmesan slowly, whisking constantly until melted.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add sliced chicken and parsley to sauce, then toss with pasta.
- Serve.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: creamy mushroom pasta
Enjoy, friends!
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I love easy, elegant flavorful pasta dishes like this! Simple enough for a weeknight, special enough to be the star of a dinner party or date night!
★★★★★
Simple yet elegant pasta is my fave! Thanks so much, Marissa!
This is one of my favorites
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Cookie Monster!
yes these are fabulous flavours together. chicken and mushies are a match made in heaven. cheers sherry
We love it! Thanks so much, Sherry!
My mouth is watering...haven't had any pasta in a while and this one really has me drool. Thanks for sharing another great recipe, Kelly.
Pasta is my go-to for an easy and delicious meal. Thanks so much, Angie!
Just tried this recipe, FANTASTIC!!!
So happy you liked it! Thanks so much!
Pasta is one of our go-to meals, too, Kelly. This Mushroom Chicken Pasta looks absolutely delicious! It looks so creamy and packed with flavor. I would gladly eat this tonight for dinner...heck, I think I could eat this one every.single.night this week! You're talking my kinda language with these flavors. (That's nothing new, though...I'm pretty sure we have the exact same preferences in tastes!) 🙂
★★★★★
David, I'm pretty sure we do! Everything you make is exactly what I want to be eating! Thanks so much!
Oh that looks genuinely creamy and delicious!!!! Love mushroom and chicken - totally trying this recipe Kelly.
It's a wonderful combination! Thanks so much, Sheenam!
Kelly. Every photo is gorgeous, but the one that stopped me in my tracks was the one of the perfectly seared chicken breasts! Brava! Lovely dish.
I'm with you, David! Makes me want grab one and make a sandwich! Thanks so much!
Great looking dish -- loads of flavor, and pretty healthy. Really satisfying -- and fast to make! My kind of dish. 🙂 Thanks!
It's definitely a family favorite! Thanks so much, John!
Kelly, you had me at "garlicky." 😀 Nothing like a quick, easy and super delicious crowd pleaser!
★★★★★
Definitely a family fave! Thanks so much, Valentina!
This is such a delicious pasta dinner -- it's filled with ingredients that I love! This would be great for weeknights and elegant enough for entertaining too!
★★★★★
The flavors go so well together and make it a really wonderful dish! Thanks so much, Marcie!
Gimme ALL the creamy pasta!! This looks absolutely delicious, Kelly! I love all the ingredients and flavors happening here! And, I obviously adore that it's so quick and easy to make! This is the perfect meal! Pinned!
★★★★★
I could eat this pasta every night! thanks so much, Chey!
Loving your photography here Kelly! The pasta looks both delicious and beautiful! This is certainly a go-to dinner for busy weeknights!
★★★★★
We love it! Thanks so much, Leanne!
This looks perfect for our weeknight dinner rotation! Bill won't eat mushrooms, but I happily eat his share! What an irresistible pasta dish!
★★★★★
It's delicious! Even without the mushrooms! When I have an ingredient that not everyone likes (happens all to often with five kids!), I add them in in bigger slices so they're easier to pick out! Thanks so much, Liz!
It is perfect under 30 minutes week dinner but also super key words :-):-)
★★★★★
Haha! Thanks so much, Davorka!
Totally Delicious! I love this dish - it's gorgeous and so tasty! Nicely done!!!
★★★★★
It's definitely one of our family favorites! Thanks so much, Kathy!
Kelly, this recipe looks right up my alley! Anytime there is creamy and garlicky pasta involved - I'm there! Especially with those delicious mushrooms and chicken on top! YUM!!
★★★★★
Creamy, garlicky pasta is my fave! Thanks so much, Haylie!
Love everything about this delicious pasta dish. I want to dive in head first!! 🙂
★★★★★
We love it! Thanks so much, Nicole!
A fabulous pasta dish. I can see sitting in front of my ipad and just chomping away on this goodness. So glad you're not scared of cream!
The cream gives it the perfect texture and wonderful flavor! Thanks so much, Mimi!
How luscious! Such fabulous flavors in this dish!
The flavors in this pasta are so delicious! Thanks so much, Susan!
I am a die heart pasta love here And I seriously love the vibrant colors.
★★★★★
Me too! Pasta is definitely my fave! Thanks so much, Priya!
I love all the flavors here! Thanks for this easy and elegant recipe! Can’t wait to give it a try. I imagine it would be a favorite of my family, too!
★★★★★
The flavors all combine so beautifully in this dish! Thanks so much, Laura!
That looks deliciously creamy. I love a good mushroom pasta, always comes handy on busy days.
Mushroom pasta is so yummy! Busy days or lazy days - it never fails to please! Thanks so much, Kankana!
Fabulous! when I am crunched for time pasta is what I make. Your recipe has all the ingredients I love.
It's a lifesaver on a busy night and the whole family loves it! Win-win! Thanks so much, Balvinder!
HOw fantastic, I love that you've whisked in the parmesan sans heat. This is an all purpose creamy dish that could be easily to adjusted to other flavours as well. I am so glad to have found your website 😀
★★★★★
Aw, thanks so much, Merryn! I learned to whisk in the parmesan after turning off the heat the hard way!
Pasta is our to-go meal. Kids favorite of all time :). I love how this dish is so easy to make and so flavorful. Perfect for weeknight dinner or even family gathering.
★★★★★
Pasta dishes are definitely something the whole family loves! And I love how easy they are. Thanks so much, Olga!
Even though it’s still in the dead heat of summer here, I would get down with a bowl of this deliciousness! All the flavors sound AMAZING!! I would eat the whole bowl
Gimme all the pasta, all year long! I love the flavors in this dish! Thanks so much, Kelly!
Loved it!!!
Delicious, very lecker... 😉
Made it tonight, a little more actually, and will have it for another evening. Paired with a Riesling, just nice!
I went a little off recipe, and added some bacon bits...
★★★★★
That would be awesome, Gerrit! So happy you liked it! Thanks so much!