This creamy Chicken Penne Pasta features mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. It’s an easy meal that you can whip up in just 30 minutes!
Looking for more delicious pasta dishes? Try this Tuscan Chicken Pasta, Chicken Pasta, or this Chicken Parmesan Pasta.
Chicken Penne Pasta
Throughout the seven years I worked in an upscale restaurant, their creamy penne pasta bake never left the menu, no matter how many new dishes the chef introduced when it was time to refresh the menu.
Why did it stick around? The answer is simple: People couldn’t get enough of it. It’s creamy, heartwarming, and each bite is downright delicious. This recipe today is a spin on that all-time favorite, but it’s made with a few lighter swaps. Instead of using loads of heavy cream and butter, we’re creating a lighter cream sauce with equal parts broth and milk. There’s no cream in this dish.
But what won’t you miss? Flavor! I’ve experimented and tweaked this cream sauce until it has that irresistible, gotta-have-it taste. It’s nothing complicated–just delicious! So, let’s jump into a no-fuss dish that’s stood the test of time!
Quick Tip
“Penne” pasta is called that because of its shape. The word “penne” comes from the Italian word for “pen,” and specifically refers to a quill pen or fountain pen.
Ingredients In Chicken Penne Pasta
- Penne Pasta: Cook 1 minute less than the package instructions to avoid overcooking when mixed with the sauce.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes: Use the oil from the jar for added flavor when sautéing vegetables.
- Mushrooms: Sauté until golden brown for an extra flavorful dish.
- Cooked Chicken: Use leftover rotisserie or grilled chicken to keep things simple.
- Baby Spinach: Allow to wilt in the sauce for a tender texture.
- Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and texture.
- Parmesan Sauce Ingredients: Includes unsalted butter, minced garlic, white flour, chicken stock, milk, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Whisk constantly while adding the flour and liquids to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth, thickened sauce.
How To Make Chicken Penne Pasta
- Pasta: Cook penne in salted water following the package’s instructions–but stop 1 minute early. Drain; set aside.
- Mushrooms and tomatoes: Sauté mushrooms in sun-dried tomato oil. Add tomatoes; cook a bit more. Remove from pan; set aside.
- Start the sauce: In the same pan, heat oil and melt butter. Add garlic; cook briefly. Whisk in flour.
- Finish the sauce: Gradually whisk in broth, then milk. Boil, then simmer until thick. Stir in seasonings and cheese.
- Combine: Mix the sauce with pasta, veggies, chicken, and spinach. Cook until hot. Stir in extra cheese.
- Serve: Enjoy hot–pasta dishes are best served the minute they come off the heat!
Make It In One Pot
Technically, this dish can be prepared using just ONE pot, but the one-pot method takes a bit longer.
For the one-pot version, you start by cooking the pasta in the pot and then draining it. In the same pot, you’ll sauté the mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, set them aside, and then make the cream sauce. Once the sauce is ready, everything is combined, and it’s ready to be devoured.
Chicken Penne Pasta Tips For Success
- Pasta perfection: Avoid overcooking the pasta. Cook it al dente so it has a slight bite, which means it should be removed from the boiling water a minute or two before the package’s recommended time. It will continue to cook when you mix it with the hot sauce. Read more here to understand what it means for your pasta to be al dente.
- Flavorful pasta: Cook your pasta in well-salted water. This step is critical for the pasta’s flavor. As a guideline, the water should be almost as salty as sea water.
- Quality ingredients: Use high-quality cheese, since it’s a primary flavor agent in your sauce. Freshly grated Parmesan will typically offer a more robust flavor than pre-packaged varieties.
- Garnish game: Don’t underestimate the power of a garnish. A sprinkle of fresh herbs, extra grated cheese, or even a dash of red pepper flakes can add both visual appeal and flavor.
What To Serve With Chicken Penne Pasta
- Garden Salad or Italian Salad: Fresh counterpoints to the rich pasta.
- Focaccia or Drop Biscuits: Crispy, buttery companion for sauce dipping.
- Roasted Broccoli: For added nutrition.
- Kale Cranberry Pecan Salad: Creamy and crunchy side dish.
- Some fresh fruit–Try our favorite Fruit Salad Recipe or Creamy Fruit Salad.
- French Bread: Light and soft inside with a delicious crusty outside!
More Delicious Pasta Dishes
- Creamy Pesto Pasta with broccoli
- Sweet Potato Pasta with sausage
- Fettuccine Alfredo quick and easy!
- Quickest Tuna Pasta with lemon
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad with a lemon-herb dressing
Chicken Penne Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta (2½ cups)
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, coarsely chopped (plus oil from jar)
- 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced (4 cups)
- 1 cup cooked chicken pieces prepared/leftover rotisserie or grilled, diced
- 2 cups baby spinach packed
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Parmesan Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons white flour
- 1 cup chicken stock (or broth)
- 1 cup milk (we use whole)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: fresh thyme
Instructions
- PASTA: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (use 1 tbsp salt for 12 cups of water). Add the penne pasta and cook according to package instructions, but reduce the lowest indicated cooking time by 1 minute. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- MUSHROOMS and TOMATOES: Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil from the sundried tomatoes. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped sundried tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Remove the contents from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- CREAM SAUCE: Using the same pan, increase the heat to medium-high. Add another tbsp of sundried tomato oil and the unsalted butter. When the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Whisk constantly for one minute to prevent lumps from forming.
- CREAM SAUCE, CONT.: Gradually pour in the chicken broth, continuing to whisk, followed by the milk. Keep whisking to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Once thickened, reduce the heat to low and stir in the Italian seasoning and 5 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I add ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper).
- FINISH: Once the cheese is melted and sauce is thickened, return the cooked pasta, mushrooms, chicken, and spinach to the pan. Toss to coat in sauce and allow spinach to wilt, about 1-3 minutes over medium heat. Stir the ingredients until combined. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle ½ cup Parmesan cheese over everything.
- ENJOY: Give everything a final stir and serve immediately, garnished with fresh thyme if desired.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Came across this recipe yesterday and was skeptical the sauce could be creamy without some of the traditional ingredients. Let me say, this sauce was better than than the rest! Thanks for sharing such a gem! This will be a go-to from now on!
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear this was better than a heavy cream sauce 🙂 Thank you so much for the comment! I appreciate your review 🙂
Just made this sauce tonight for a chicken, broccoli, mushroom pasta dish…amazing! I could have eaten it even without the cheese in it, it was THAT good! Definitely a new family favorite!
YAY!! That makes me SO happy to hear that! Thank you so much for your comment Jaclyn! 🙂
Wonderful texture and flavor without velveeta. Reheats smooth. This was delicious and so easy to make. Makes a bigger batch than I was expecting.
Thank you! 🙂
it was quite good. i added sun dried tomatoes, next time i would def add some onion to the mix.
Creamy pasta is our weakness and I love this lightened up version with all the veggies – it looks and sounds delish!:)
Parmesan chicken and mushrooms yes please! I love to make sauces that way.
Thanks Jennifer! 🙂
Mmmmmmm I’m seriously drooling. Looks DLISH! Loving the first photograph – awesome composition!
Thank you so much Tiffany 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I was going to make a chicken broccoli alfredo tonight and this sauce looks so good, I am totally trying it! This looks perfect! Thanks so much!
What a great looking dish! I’ve been in the mood for a big ole’ bowl of some comforting pasta lately… could this be tonight’s dinner?!
I love how beautifully this turned out Chelsea, delish!