Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Chicken Penne Recipe
This Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Chicken Penne is a comforting and delicious pasta dish featuring tender chicken breasts, sautéed mushrooms, and crisp asparagus tossed in a rich Parmesan cream sauce. Perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner, it combines fresh ingredients with simple cooking techniques to deliver a flavorful meal everyone will love.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz penne pasta
Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté mushrooms: In the same skillet, add a little more olive oil if needed and sauté the sliced mushrooms for about 3 minutes until they start to soften and brown.
- Cook asparagus and garlic: Add the asparagus pieces to the skillet and cook for an additional 2 minutes until tender-crisp. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Build the sauce: Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir the sauce continuously for 3-4 minutes until it becomes smooth and begins to thicken.
- Combine everything: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and add the drained pasta. Toss everything together gently to coat the pasta and chicken evenly in the creamy mushroom and asparagus sauce.
- Serve: Serve the creamy mushroom and asparagus chicken penne hot, optionally garnished with extra Parmesan cheese or fresh herbs.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a creamy plant-based alternative.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to your preferred level of spiciness or omit if you want a milder dish.
- Fresh Parmesan is best for melting and flavor, but pre-grated can be used in a pinch.
- Make sure not to overcook the pasta – al dente offers the best texture when combined with the sauce.
- Chicken breasts can be swapped with thighs if preferred for a juicier protein.
Keywords: creamy chicken pasta, mushroom penne, asparagus pasta recipe, creamy pasta recipe, easy chicken dinner
