Easy Creamy Chicken Pasta

Name: Easy Creamy Chicken Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast; paprika, to taste; Italian seasoning, to taste; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; 1 tbsp butter; 1/2 medium onion, chopped; 8 oz spaghetti; 2 Roma tomatoes, diced; 1 cup kale, chopped; 1/2 cup reserved pasta water; 2 tbsp cream cheese; 2 tbsp heavy cream; 2 tbsp coconut cream; shredded Parmesan cheese, for garnish

This easy creamy chicken pasta combines seared boneless chicken breast with sautéed onions and tomatoes in a simple cream cheese sauce, finished with starchy pasta water for silky coating. It's a customizable weeknight dinner ready in under 30 minutes.

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Creamy pasta 🏷️Chicken pasta 🏷️Spaghetti 🏷️Easy recipe Weeknight dinner

🏷️

🏷️30-minute meal

-0:00

TikTok

Total

30 min

Servings

2

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$29–$48

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

-0:00

TikTok

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
paprika, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
8 oz spaghetti
2 Roma tomatoes, dicedoptional
1 cup kale, choppedoptional
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
2 tbsp cream cheese
2 tbsp heavy creamoptional
2 tbsp coconut creamoptional
shredded Parmesan cheese, for garnishoptional

16 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2
Season the chicken breast on both sides with paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3
Place the chicken in the hot skillet and sear on both sides until golden brown.
4
Cover the skillet, reduce heat, and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 140-145°F.
5
While the chicken cooks, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
6
Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate to rest.
7
In the same skillet, melt the butter. Do not clean the pan.
8
Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened and lightly browned.
9
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
10
Add the diced tomatoes and chopped kale to the skillet with the onions. Cook until the kale is wilted.
11
Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water.
12
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and the hot pasta water. Whisk until a smooth sauce forms.
13
Pour the cream cheese sauce into the skillet with the vegetables and stir to combine.
14
Slice the rested chicken breast.
15
Add the sliced chicken and any resting juices back into the skillet.
16
Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta is well-coated.
17
Serve immediately, garnished with shredded Parmesan cheese if desired.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Sear chicken on high heat until golden (3–4 min per side) before reducing heat; this builds flavor without drying the breast.
Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water before draining; the starch is essential for emulsifying the cream cheese into a silky sauce.
Dice tomatoes and onions evenly so they soften at the same rate and distribute evenly through the pasta.
Stir in cream cheese off-heat or at low heat to prevent it from separating or becoming grainy.

Substitutions

Heavy cream → Greek yogurt (¾ cup, added off-heat)
Spaghetti → Fettuccine or penne
Roma tomatoes → Cherry tomatoes halved or sun-dried tomatoes (reduces fresh flavor slightly)
Boneless chicken breast → Boneless thighs (add 1–2 minutes per side cooking time)