Description
Creamy Peppercorn Chicken Pasta is a bold and comforting dish featuring tender chicken, a velvety cream sauce infused with crushed peppercorns, and perfectly cooked pasta. This quick and flavorful recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or when you need a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz fettuccine or penne pasta
- 2 medium-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp freshly cracked peppercorns
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, drain, and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and a pinch of black pepper. Sear for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the freshly cracked peppercorns, letting them toast lightly.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet for added flavor. Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Let the sauce simmer for 3–4 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese until fully melted and smooth. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Use the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, folding it into the pasta and sauce.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and extra cracked pepper on top for garnish.
Notes
- To intensify the flavor, lightly toast the peppercorns before adding them to the sauce.
- For a creamier sauce, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead of pre-shredded.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add a splash of cream or milk when reheating to maintain the sauce’s texture.
- Feel free to add vegetables like spinach or mushrooms to make it heartier!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sauté and simmer
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (¼ recipe)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: Creamy Peppercorn Chicken Pasta, chicken pasta recipe, creamy pasta dish, peppercorn sauce pasta, quick chicken pasta, weeknight pasta recipes