Some meals just feel like home, and for me, chicken mushroom pasta is one of them. It’s creamy, comforting, and feels like something you’d eat at a little café on a rainy day. I’ve made it so many times that it’s become one of my easy, reliable weeknight dinners. It’s rich but not heavy, flavorful but simple enough to pull together in about half an hour.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Mushroom Pasta Recipe

• It’s ready in under 30 minutes.
• Creamy, garlicky, and packed with flavor from tender chicken and sautéed mushrooms.
• It’s a crowd-pleaser, perfect for both weeknights and cozy dinners.
• You can easily make it lighter or dairy-free if you want.

Recipe Details

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Calories: Around 520 per serving

Ingredients

• 250 g (about 8 oz) pasta (fettuccine, penne, or spaghetti all work)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 250 g (8 oz) mushrooms, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream (or use half and half for a lighter version)
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or Italian seasoning)
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

How to Make Chicken Mushroom Pasta

1. Cook the pasta
   Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. Cook the chicken
   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until golden and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Sauté the mushrooms
   In the same skillet, melt butter. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown and tender. Stir in garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant.
4. Make the sauce
   Pour in the chicken broth and cream, scraping up any bits from the pan. Add Parmesan and thyme. Let it simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Combine
   Add the chicken back to the pan along with the cooked pasta. Toss to coat everything in the sauce. If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
6. Serve
   Top with more Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve warm and enjoy.

Tips and Tricks

• For extra flavor, use a mix of cremini and button mushrooms.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end for brightness.
• If you want to skip dairy, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan.
• This pasta tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld.

More pasta recipes

• Pasta With Chicken Sausage And Broccoli
• Mushroom Pasta Recipe
• Eggplant Pasta
• Cajun Sausage Pasta
• Cajun Chicken Pasta 
• Red Pepper Pasta 
• Spring Pea Pasta
• Penne Ground Beef Pasta