Creamy Chicken Pasta
⏱ 10 min prep · 🍳 20 min · 🍽 4
Creamy chicken pasta is the dinner that saves a weeknight when after-school pickup, a forgotten soccer bag, and a hungry seven-year-old all land at once. Diced chicken breast, mushrooms, and cream come together in a sauce that's ready in under 30 minutes — and kids recognize it instantly because the pieces sit right there in the sauce instead of hiding inside a casserole.
Chicken breast, mushrooms, cream, and a pinch of paprika are the kind of staples most households already have, or can grab in one aisle on the way home. It's one pot for the pasta and one pan for the sauce, so cleanup stays manageable even on a Tuesday that's already run long.
Put it on the meal plan for a pickup day, and that one evening stops being a question mark — no matter how the rest of the week goes.
Ingredients
- 380.000 g kyllingbryst
- smør
- 2.000 stk hvitløksfedd
- 1.000 stk sjalottløk
- 250.000 g sopp
- 350.000 g pasta
- 3.000 dl fløte
- 1.000 dl parmesan
- paprika
Instructions
Stek kyllingbitene i en panne med smør på begge sider til de er gyllenbrune og gjennomstekte.
Ta kyllingen ut av pannen, la avkjøles litt, deretter skjær i munnfullstore biter.
Kok pasta etter anvisning på pakken og ta vare på ca. 2 dl av kokevannet.
Finhakk hvitløk og sjalottløk, stek i samme panne. Skjær sjampinjongen i skiver og kok i 2 ss smør med aromater til gyllenbrune.
Tilsett fløte og pastavann i pannen og kok i 2 minutter til sausen tykner litt. Rør inn parmesan og smak til med salt og pepper.
Vend kokt pasta med sausen, deretter kylling og frisk persille.
This recipe works well for households where kids eat best when they can see exactly what's on the plate — chicken pieces and mushroom slices sitting right in the sauce, not buried in a casserole dish they have to dig through. It also survives being abandoned half-eaten by a toddler and rescued into a lunchbox the next day, since the sauce thickens nicely in the fridge and reheats easily over low heat. Because everything happens in one pot for the pasta and one pan for the sauce, cleanup is done in minutes — useful on the nights one parent gets home late and the kitchen needs to reset fast.
FAQ
How long do leftovers keep in the fridge?
Sealed in an airtight container, leftovers keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. The sauce can split if you reheat it too fast on high heat, so warm it gently in a pan on low heat or on medium power in the microwave, stirring it back together as it heats.
Can I freeze this dinner?
The chicken and mushroom sauce freezes well for up to 2 months, but cook the pasta fresh each time — frozen pasta turns mushy once thawed. Portion the sauce into single-serving containers before freezing, so you can pull out exactly what the family needs. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring it back to a gentle simmer with a splash of extra cream.
Is this okay for kids, or does it need adjusting?
Most kids take to this one because the sauce is mild and creamy without any strong spice — skip the paprika altogether if anyone in the family is sensitive to seasoning. Cut the chicken into smaller pieces for younger eaters, and pick the mushrooms off the plate for anyone who hasn't come around to them yet. Set out extra grated parmesan on the side so each kid can build their own portion.
What can I swap if I don't have everything on hand?
Button mushrooms can be swapped for whatever mushrooms are in the fridge, or left out entirely if nobody in the house eats them. Cream can be replaced with half-and-half or crème fraîche — just adjust the amount of pasta water to reach the consistency you want. Chicken breast works just as well with diced chicken thighs, which often turn out even juicier in the sauce.
How do I fit this into the weekly meal plan?
This is a solid Tuesday or Wednesday dinner since the whole thing takes under 30 minutes and uses ingredients that hold up in the fridge for a few days — buy the chicken and mushrooms early in the week and cook them fresh a couple days later. Add it to the meal plan right away so parmesan doesn't get forgotten on a rushed grocery run. Double the batch on a calmer night and freeze the extra for a week that looks busier.
What do I serve it with, and does it work for guests?
A simple green salad or a few slices of cucumber and tomato is enough on the side, since the sauce is filling on its own. It also holds up as a dinner-party dish for families with kids, because it's mild and scales up quickly without anyone turning it down. Put extra parmesan and a bowl of toasted breadcrumbs on the table for anyone who wants something crunchy.