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Creamy, cheesy, and ready in 30 minutes, this classic chicken penne pasta is the ultimate weeknight comfort food.
Chicken + pasta = win
Not sure about you, but we love pasta for dinner! This creamy chicken penne pasta is an easy crowd-pleaser that the entire family will love. Rich and creamy, it’s the perfect base for a weeknight meal.
Serve alongside Oven Roasted Vegetables and Cheesy Garlic Bread for a kid-approved dinner. We know they will love it!
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Quick & easy. This easy pasta recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
- Ultra creamy. The combination of butter, half and half, and parmesan cheese creates a luxuriously creamy sauce that coats the pasta and chicken perfectly.
- Family-friendly. This penne pasta recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser that appeals to both adults and kids, making it a great choice for a family dinner idea.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
- 1 pound penne pasta – or ziti, bow tie, fusilli
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic – How to Mince Garlic
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed – you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth – or chicken stock
- 1 cup half and half – Using half and half or whole milk makes a creamier sauce but 2% will work
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- garlic salt and black pepper – to taste
How to make chicken penne pasta
- PASTA. Cook 1 pound penne pasta according to packaged directions.
- CHICKEN. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan, add 3 cubed chicken breasts, and cook until cooked through.
- SAUCE. Add 2 teaspoons garlic and cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons flour and cook for an additional minute, stir constantly.
- Add 1 cup half and half and 1 cup chicken broth, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce boils and thickens.
- Add 1 teaspoon basil and 1 cup grated parmesan cheese. Add desired garlic salt and pepper. Continue stirring until the cheese has melted. Pour sauce over pasta and serve immediately.
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Chicken Penne Pasta
Creamy, cheesy, and ready in 30 minutes, this classic chicken penne pasta is the ultimate weeknight comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 chicken breasts, cubed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- garlic salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to packaged directions.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan and add chicken. Cook until cooked through.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Add flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Add milk and broth, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce boils and thickens.
- Add parsley and parmesan cheese. Add desired salt and pepper. Continue stirring until cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
- Pour sauce over pasta and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 618kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 122mg, Sodium: 617mg, Potassium: 702mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 556IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 256mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Add Extra Flavor?
- Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for added spice or a drizzle of hot sauce.
- Add spinach or kale.
- Add some sun-dried tomatoes.
- Add broccoli florets, sauteed green beans, or mushrooms.
- Top with bacon crumbles.
- Use shrimp instead of chicken.
Does Chicken Penne Pasta Make a Good Freezer Meal?
- Pasta is among my favorite freezer meals. I typically like to double a recipe and then freeze the extra for another day. Cook according to the recipe. Cool slightly then place in a freezer Ziploc. The pasta can be kept in the freezer for 3-4 months.
- Thaw and then reheat on the stovetop. Heat it low and slow and add a bit of milk to help revive the creamy smooth texture.
How to Store Leftover Chicken Penne Pasta?
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.
- Reheat on the stovetop or microwave. Add a bit of milk to help get a smooth texture.
Does this recipe below still exist? The link brings me to this recipe now instead. The link below is a family favorite 🙂
https://lilluna.com/mozzarella-penne-recipe/
Thanks!
We do not have the Mozzarella Penne Pasta on the site anymore but the Chicken Penne Pasta is very similar to it. If you try it out let me know what you think. I’d love to hear if you like it more or less than the other.
It’s a Keeper 🙂
Woohoo!! Glad it is! Thank you!
Great recipe! SubstitUted ground saUsage with thinky sliced saUsage linkS. 4 teEnager approved!!
Thank you so much!! I am glad they liked it!
Very yummy and creamy!!
Thank you 🙂
Made your Mozzarella Penne last night and it turned out so yummy. Thank you for sharing this tasty recipe.????????
Oh, yay!! Thank you for letting me know 🙂 I love when it’s a hit!
Could I prepare this in the morning and keep it in the fridge until I’m ready to bake it for dinner?
Definitely! Hope you like it!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Awesome- I just prepped this and it is in the fridge ready to go into the oven tonight! I assume I will have to bake it closer to the 30 minutes since it will be cold from the fridge.
The only tweaks I made were using half & half instead of milk (not healthy at all, but I can’t resist using it in pasta dishes) and I only used 2 cups. My sauce thickened up just fine, it just took a long time. I also added some fresh basil that I’ve been growing. In the end everything I sampled tasted great and I can’t wait to eat the finished product! Dinner might have to be early tonight!
I can’t get my bechamel to thicken up…. advice?
Hmmm, did you cook the flour and butter for a few minutes until it was golden brown?
Mine wouldn’t thicken either. I remembered something I saw on the Chew that chef Michael Simon always says when they make bechamel….the flour and butter should look like wet sand before adding your liquid. 2 tbsps of butter and about 4 tbsps of flour in another pot, browned, and gradually added my milk that wouldn’t thicken and voilà. My 1st bechamel!
The key (for me at least) is to actually not stir constantly. It needs little breaks to thicken up. Not too long though, you don’t want it to curdle, just stop every minute or so for like 10 seconds. It works for me! It’s actually something I learned in a cooking class in high school. I was stirring without stopping for 10 minutes wondering why my sauce wasn’t getting thick. Then I was told, “you need to stop stirring so it has a chance to thicken”. Blew my mind!
Thanks so much for the tip!! Hope that helps anyone!!