Description
Chicken Mozzarella Pasta: Creamy, one-pan weeknight pasta that features tender chicken, gooey mozzarella, and parmesan in a silky sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups penne or rigatoni pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
- Fresh basil, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken, season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, then bring to a gentle boil.
- Stir in uncooked pasta and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and sauce has thickened.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet along with mozzarella and parmesan. Stir until cheese is melted and everything is well combined.
- Add cherry tomatoes if using, and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
- The dish can be made with penne or rigatoni; use gluten-free pasta if needed.
- For extra cheese pull, increase mozzarella or add a sprinkle of extra parmesan.
- To lighten the dish, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and reduce cheese a bit.
- Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop; add a splash of broth to loosen sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop / Skillet
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: ≈630
- Sugar: ≈6 g
- Sodium: ≈900 mg
- Fat: ≈34 g
- Saturated Fat: ≈20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ≈10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ≈68 g
- Fiber: ≈3 g
- Protein: ≈28 g
- Cholesterol: ≈140 mg
Keywords: Chicken Mozzarella Pasta, creamy pasta, chicken pasta, mozzarella pasta, weeknight dinner, one-pan pasta, parmesan, basil