This creamy Chicken Penne Pasta featuresย mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. Itโs an easy meal that you can whip up in just 30 minutes!
Looking for more delicious pasta dishes? Try thisย Tuscan Chicken Pasta,ย Chicken Pasta, or thisย Chicken Parmesan Pasta.
Chicken Penne Pasta
Throughout the seven years I worked in an upscale restaurant, their creamy penne pasta bake never left the menu, no matter how many new dishes the chef introduced when it was time to refresh the menu.
Why did it stick around? The answer is simple: People couldnโt get enough of it. Itโs creamy, heartwarming, and each bite is downright delicious. This recipe today is a spin on that all-time favorite, but itโs made with a few lighter swaps. Instead of using loads of heavy cream and butter, weโre creating a lighter cream sauce with equal parts broth and milk. Thereโs no cream in this dish.
But what wonโt you miss? Flavor! Iโve experimented and tweaked this cream sauce until it has that irresistible, gotta-have-it taste. Itโs nothing complicatedโjust delicious! So, letโs jump into a no-fuss dish thatโs stood the test of time!
Quick Tip
โPenneโ pasta is called that because of its shape. The word โpenneโ comes from the Italian word for โpen,โ and specifically refers to a quill pen or fountain pen.
Ingredients In Chicken Penne Pasta
- Penne Pasta: Cook 1 minute less than the package instructions to avoid overcooking when mixed with the sauce.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes:ย Use the oil from the jar for added flavor when sautรฉing vegetables.
- Mushrooms: Sautรฉ until golden brown for an extra flavorful dish.
- Cooked Chicken: Use leftover rotisserie or grilled chicken to keep things simple.
- Baby Spinach: Allow to wilt in the sauce for a tender texture.
- Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and texture.
- Parmesan Sauce Ingredients: Includes unsalted butter, minced garlic, white flour, chicken stock, milk, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Whisk constantly while adding the flour and liquids to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth, thickened sauce.
How To Make Chicken Penne Pasta
- Pasta: Cook penne in salted water following the packageโs instructionsโbut stop 1 minute early. Drain; set aside.
- Mushrooms and tomatoes: Sautรฉ mushrooms in sun-dried tomato oil. Add tomatoes; cook a bit more. Remove from pan; set aside.
- Start the sauce: In the same pan, heat oil and melt butter. Add garlic; cook briefly. Whisk in flour.
- Finish the sauce: Gradually whisk in broth, then milk. Boil, then simmer until thick. Stir in seasonings and cheese.
- Combine: Mix the sauce with pasta, veggies, chicken, and spinach. Cook until hot. Stir in extra cheese.
- Serve: Enjoy hotโpasta dishes are best served the minute they come off the heat!
Featured Comment
โThis pasta dish was amazing! Love sneaking those veggies in, and none of my picky eaters could even notice with their mouth full of the yummy creamy sauce!โ
โ Jessica
Make It In One Pot
Technically, this dish can be prepared using just ONE pot, but the one-pot method takes a bit longer.
For the one-pot version, you start by cooking the pasta in the pot and then draining it. In the same pot, youโll sautรฉ the mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, set them aside, and then make the cream sauce. Once the sauce is ready, everything is combined, and itโs ready to be devoured.
Chicken Penne Pasta Tips For Success
- Pasta perfection: Avoid overcooking the pasta. Cook it al dente so it has a slight bite, which means it should be removed from the boiling water a minute or two before the packageโs recommended time. It will continue to cook when you mix it with the hot sauce. Read more here to understand what it means for your pasta to be al dente.
- Flavorful pasta: Cook your pasta in well-salted water. This step is critical for the pastaโs flavor. As a guideline, the water should be almost as salty as sea water.
- Quality ingredients: Use high-quality cheese, since itโs a primary flavor agent in your sauce. Freshly grated Parmesan will typically offer a more robust flavor than pre-packaged varieties.
- Garnish game: Donโt underestimate the power of a garnish. A sprinkle of fresh herbs, extra grated cheese, or even a dash of red pepper flakes can add both visual appeal and flavor.
What To Serve With Chicken Penne Pasta
- Garden Salad or Italian Salad: Fresh counterpoints to the rich pasta.
- Focacciaย or Drop Biscuits: Crispy, buttery companion for sauce dipping.
- Roasted Broccoli: For added nutrition.
- Kale Cranberry Pecan Salad: Creamy and crunchy side dish.
- Some fresh fruitโTry our favorite Fruit Salad Recipe or Creamy Fruit Salad.
- French Bread: Light and soft inside with a delicious crusty outside!
More Delicious Pasta Dishes
- Creamy Pesto Pastaย with broccoli
- Sweet Potato Pastaย with sausage
- Fettuccine Alfredoย quick and easy!
- Quickest Tuna Pastaย with lemon
- Mediterranean Pasta Saladย with a lemon-herb dressing
Chicken Penne Pasta
Video
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups penne pasta 8 ounces
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil coarsely chopped (plus oil from jar)
- 8 ounces mushrooms thinly sliced, 4 cups
- 1 cup diced cooked chicken prepared/leftover rotisserie or grilled
- 2 cups baby spinach packed
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup milk I use whole
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- fresh thyme optional
Instructionsย
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (use 1 tbsp salt for 12 cups of water). Add the penne pasta and cook according to package instructions, minus 1 minute. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp oil from the sundried tomatoes. Once oil is hot, add the sliced mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped sundried tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook another 1โ2 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Remove the contents from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Using the same pan, increase heat to medium-high. Add another tbsp of sundried tomato oil and the unsalted butter. When the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and sautรฉ until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Whisk constantly for 1 minute to prevent lumps from forming.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth, continuing to whisk, followed by the milk. Keep whisking to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Let it simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Once thickened, reduce heat to low and stir in the Italian seasoning and 5 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper).
- Once cheese is melted and sauce is thickened, return the cooked pasta, mushrooms, chicken, and spinach to the pan. Toss to coat in sauce and allow spinach to wilt, about 1โ3 minutes over medium heat. Stir the ingredients until combined. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese over everything.
- Give everything a final stir and serve immediately, garnished with fresh thyme if desired.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was so yummy, I made it two nights in a row! The only modification was that I used mild Italian sausage instead of chicken.
Iโm so thrilled to hear this was such a hit! Thanks so much for sharing!