Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Chicken Penne 🍝🍄🍗
This Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Chicken Penne is the perfect weeknight dinner—rich, flavorful, and packed with tender chicken, mushrooms, and asparagus in a creamy sauce. It’s comforting, easy to make, and sure to please everyone at the table!😋💫⭐
🛒 Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
8 oz penne pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
👩🍳 Instructions:
1️⃣ Cook the Penne Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving about ½ cup of pasta cooking water.
2️⃣ Cook the Chicken:
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the sliced chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
3️⃣ Sauté the Vegetables:
In the same skillet, add the mushrooms and asparagus. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, until the mushrooms release their moisture and become tender, and the asparagus is crisp-tender.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
4️⃣ Make the Cream Sauce:
Pour in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and allow the sauce to thicken for about 3-4 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking water to reach your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
5️⃣ Combine the Pasta and Chicken:
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the vegetables. Add the drained penne pasta and toss everything together in the creamy sauce. If the sauce needs thinning, add a little more pasta cooking water to help coat the pasta evenly.
6️⃣ Serve:
Serve the creamy mushroom and asparagus chicken penne hot, garnished with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
💡 Tips:
Substitute with other vegetables: You can add or substitute other vegetables like spinach, bell peppers, or zucchini for added flavor and color.
Make it lighter: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter version of the sauce.
This Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Chicken Penne is a rich, comforting dish that combines the earthy flavors of mushrooms, the freshness of asparagus, and the creamy goodness of the sauce. It’s a perfect meal to cozy up with on a weeknight! 🍝🍄