Did you know that you can make a decadent, crave-worthy creamy chicken pasta without heavy cream? All you need is milk, parmesan, and the pasta’s cooking water! Up the flavor with sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and spinach and you have a delicious 15-minute pasta dinner.
This easy chicken pasta is one of my go-to recipes whenever I crave a little comfort food. It feels like a restaurant-fancy meal with such little effort!
I’m certainly not above indulging in a touch of cream every once in a while. In fact, the Mediterranean diet has always been about balance, not restriction. But when I discovered you could make a silky, downright decadent pasta sauce by simply whisking the pasta’s starchy water with milk, parmesan, and a touch of flour–three things I always keep on-hand–I was hooked!
Plus, with canned artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, this is truly an all-seasons recipe you can make on repeat, any night of the week.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for this Chicken Penne Pasta Recipe
I wanted this chicken pasta recipe to be pantry-friendly with a few easy upgrades for a good flavor and nutrition boost.
- Pasta: I love how penne pasta matches the size of the chicken, but any medium size pasta you have will work, or even spaghetti.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breast cook quickly and keep things light, but feel free to use any cut of chicken. Just be sure to cook it to 165°F.
- Seasoning: Dried oregano adds an aromatic quality that gives this simple pasta a deeper flavor. I wouldn’t skip it, but Italian seasoning works well too (I make my own). Kosher salt and black pepper perk everything up.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I recommend our buttery Italian Nocellara with this recipe, but just be sure to use a high quality extra virgin variety with a pleasant flavor.
- Garlic: Swap with diced shallot if you avoid garlic.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Add texture and concentrated sunny tomato flavor year-round. I prefer the all natural unsulfured variety. Use any leftover to make sun dried tomato pesto!
- Fresh tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes are rather sweet and juicy even off season, but in the summertime you can swap in chopped on-the-vine varieties.
- Artichoke hearts: Use oil packed or water packed canned artichoke hearts for a burst of tart flavor, or swap with capers or olives.
- Milk: Whole milk makes the pasta creamy without weighing it down. For a dairy-free option, skip the parmesan and swap with unflavored cashew cream.
- Flour: Helps to thicken the sauce. Feel free to use gluten free.
- Parmesan: Adds richness and umami.
- Baby spinach: Adds a touch of freshness and color. Swap with chopped standard spinach (discard the tough ends).
- Parsley: I never skip the fresh herbs! It’s that final touch that brings a fresh burst of flavor to balance the richness of the pasta. If you don’t like parsley, try basil.
How to Make the Creamiest Chicken Pasta with No Heavy Cream
Starchy pasta water and a touch of flour is the trick to making a velvety pasta sauce without heavy cream. Just be sure to give it a vigorous stir to make sure the pasta is well coated in the sauce!
- Get ready to cook. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Mince 3 large garlic cloves and chop 1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes. Drain 1 (15-ounce) can of artichoke hearts. Finely grate enough parmesan cheese to yield 1 cup. Chop enough fresh parsley leaves and tender stems to yield 1/4 cup.
- Boil the pasta. Add 8 ounces penne pasta to the boiling water and cook to al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Meanwhile, prep the chicken. Pat 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast dry, then slice into bite-size pieces or strips. Season all over with 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, and a good dash of salt.
- Sear the chicken. In a large pan, heat about 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook, tossing occasionally until the chicken pieces are cooked through (they should have a delicious golden-brown hue), about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Flavor the chicken. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan with the chicken and stir it around for about 30 seconds or so, then add 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes and the artichoke hearts. Toss to combine and turn the heat to medium-low.
- Make the creamy sauce. In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup whole milk, 2 tablespoons flour, and the Parmesan cheese. Pour the mixture into the pan and add 2 packed cups of baby spinach. Add a little bit of the pasta cooking water (just a couple tablespoons or so) and give it a good stir, which releases the starch and makes the sauce creamy. Add the pasta and mix to combine. Sprinkle on the parsley and serve.
What to Serve with Chicken Pasta
I like serving this chicken pasta with crunchy garlic bread or homemade focaccia to sop up the sauce. If you start baking the garlic bread a few minutes before you start working on your pasta dinner, they’ll both be done around the same time!
If you want something green, a quick salad is never a bad idea! Try my parmesan lettuce salad, which is ready in just 5 minutes.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container, but keep in mind that creamy sauces tend to thicken in the fridge. To reheat and thin the sauce out again, add a few tablespoons of milk to a shallow, wide pan and heat until the milk is warm but not yet simmering.
Immediately add the pasta to the milk on the stove and stir rapidly. This will help the sauce re-emulsify if it has separated. Remove from the heat and serve.
More Chicken Pasta Recipes
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Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Italian
Lemon Chicken Pasta
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Moroccan-Inspired Chicken Couscous
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Creamy Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta (or pasta of your choice)
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained
- 1 cup whole milk (or a creamy non-dairy alternative such as cashew cream), at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 2 packed cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Boil a large pot of water and salt it well. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Meanwhile, prep the chicken. Pat the chicken dry, then slice into bite-size pieces or strips. Season all over with the pepper, dried oregano, and a good dash of salt.
- Sear the chicken. In a large pan, heat about 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook, tossing occasionally until the chicken pieces are cooked through (they should have a delicious golden-brown hue), about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Flavor the chicken. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan with the chicken and stir it around for about 30 seconds or so, then add the grape tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Toss to combine and turn the heat to medium-low.
- Make the creamy pasta sauce. In a small bowl, whisk the milk, flour, and Parmesan cheese. Pour the mixture into the pan and add the baby spinach. Add a little bit of the pasta cooking water (just a couple tablespoons or so) and give it a good stir, which releases the starch and makes the sauce creamy.
- Finish and serve. Add the pasta and mix to combine. Sprinkle on the parsley and serve.
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil, oregano, sun dried tomatoes, and pasta used in this recipe.
- Gluten-free option: Swap the pasta out for your favorite gluten-free brand, and use a cornstarch slurry or gluten-free flour instead of regular all-purpose flour.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Creamy sauces tend to thicken in the fridge. To reheat and thin the sauce out again:
- Add a few tablespoons of milk to a shallow, wide pan and heat until the milk is warm but not yet simmering.
- Immediately add the pasta to the milk on the stove and stir rapidly. This will help the sauce re-emulsify if it has separated. Remove from the heat and serve.
No mention of when to put the flower
Hello! The flour is added as you make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the milk, flour, and Parmesan cheese. Pour the mixture into the pan and add the baby spinach. Add a little bit of the pasta cooking water (just a couple tablespoons or so) and stir for a few seconds to help the sauce thicken a bit.
I substituted portabella mushrooms and coconut milk for the chicken and whole milk, it was so delicious! Quick and easy with beautiful texture and flavor! Another keeper, thanks!
Ooo! Yum! Thanks for sharing, Cynthia!
Wonderful! Used Italian Seasonings on the chicken and it added much flavor. This is a “keeper”.
Absolutely delicious. I didn’t have Parmesan cheese this time so I used Romano cheese. Amazing!!!
I wanted to like this recipe, but the outcome to mess ratio is terrible. Nothing really pops about the flavors here, and pan frying the chicken makes an absolute mess, even with a screen. I’m not opposed to making messes in the kitchen if the end result is good – at it’s written here it’s extremely underwhelming. The kids liked it and it uses some fresh veggies, those are about the only positives here. My apologies.
Very simple recipe, flavourful.
Great recipe. I will be doubling the amount of sun dried tomatoes next round because I frickin love them. It does require a large pan. I used a 15inch cast iron skillet and it seemed perfect. Trying to shove all the goods in a normal 12 inch skillet would be a hot mess.
Super tasty, would recommend.
This was ABSOLUTELY DELISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn’t have everything that was called for so substituted with: asparagus, added shallots, chopped tomatoes, and a mix of provolone and mozzarella. We had Italian bread along with it. This recipe is a keeper and definite repeat! So easy!
Made this for the first time last night for dinner. Super easy and delicious. Will definitely make again.
Fast, easy and excellent dish. Did not have artichokes. Seasoned with Spicy Italian Season Blend. Served with orecchiette pasta. Will make for a dinner party in the near future.
I have a question about olive oil – I thought extra virgin olive oil was specifically used as a drizzle while regular olive oil is used for sauteing due to the smoke point of each. Have I been wrong all these years? I even have pans that say not to use EVO for sauteing since it leaves a residue.
Hi, Jo! We actually have a great article on this topic: Cooking with Olive Oil: Everything You Need to Know!
Delicious 😋 😋!!
Easy to make and tasted great. Used chicken broth rather than pasta water to thicken sauce.
Absolutely delicious!!
This was delicious. My picky kids all ate it (I just had to pick the veggies out for one). Definitely read the instructions before you start, and have all ingredients ready, because it does move quickly.
I’m not the best cook, and realized I didn’t have enough liquid, so I threw in a bit more of the pasta water and some cream that I luckily had on hand. Everything just turned out delicious 😋
So glad the whole family enjoyed this one!
Another fantastic recipe! Used heavy cream with no flour, and it came out perfect! Definitely a keeper!