Description
Creamy Mushroom Asparagus Chicken Penne is a quick dinner idea loaded with juicy chicken, tender pasta, earthy mushrooms, and fresh asparagus tossed in a rich parmesan garlic cream sauce. Perfect for an easy recipe the whole family will love, this dish is packed with flavor and texture. It’s the kind of easy dinner idea you’ll want to add to your weekly food ideas list—balanced, comforting, and surprisingly simple to make!
Ingredients
1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
12 oz penne pasta
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup reserved pasta water (if needed)
Instructions
1. Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the penne according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Sear for 5–7 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add butter. Sauté mushrooms for 5 minutes until browned. Add asparagus and cook for another 3–4 minutes until tender-crisp. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
4. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits. Lower heat, add heavy cream, and stir in parmesan cheese. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Return chicken to the skillet, then add the cooked penne. Toss to coat everything in the sauce. Use reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Serve warm with extra parmesan if desired.
Notes
Use freshly grated parmesan for best texture and flavor.
Don’t overcook the asparagus—tender-crisp is ideal.
Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 625
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: creamy pasta, chicken pasta, mushroom penne, asparagus chicken pasta, quick dinner