Equipment
Ingredients
Meat and Produce
- 400 g chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 250 g cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
Pantry and Dairy
- 15 ml olive oil
- 750 ml chicken broth, low sodium preferred
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 300 g penne pasta, dry
- 50 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 682 kcal
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbohydrates
- 66 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1411 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 110 mg
- Potassium
- 831 mg
- Calcium
- 234 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 87 mg
- Phosphorus
- 521 mg
- Zinc
- 3.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 184 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 46 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.87 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.93 mg
- Niacin
- 18.3 mg
- Folate
- 211 mcg
- Water
- 377 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat.
Add the diced chicken breast to the pot and sear until browned on the outside. Wash hands and all surfaces thoroughly after handling the raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
Add the sliced mushrooms and diced onion to the chicken, cooking until the vegetables soften and release their moisture.
Stir the minced garlic into the vegetable and chicken mixture, cooking briefly until aromatic.
Pour the chicken broth, heavy cream, dry penne pasta, kosher salt, and black pepper into the pot, stirring well to ensure the pasta is submerged in the liquid.
Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the pasta is tender and the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the pot from the heat entirely and stir in the grated parmesan cheese until the sauce thickens and emulsifies.
Sprinkle the freshly chopped parsley over the pasta to brighten the dish right before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven thoroughly when pouring in the chicken broth. This action releases the fond, the browned bits stuck to the pan, integrating concentrated savory flavors into your final sauce.
- For the best texture and flavor, avoid washing your mushrooms under running water. Instead, wipe them clean with a slightly damp paper towel to prevent them from absorbing excess moisture and becoming spongy.
- Different pasta shapes absorb liquid at varying rates. If you substitute the penne with a larger shape like rigatoni, you may need to add an extra splash of broth near the end of cooking.
- Grate your own block of parmesan cheese rather than using pre-grated varieties. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of milk or water to loosen the sauce.
Troubleshooting
The cream sauce separated and looks greasy
Cause: The liquid was boiled too vigorously after adding dairy, or the parmesan was stirred in while the pot was still over high heat
Fix: Vigorously whisk in a splash of warm water or an extra tablespoon of heavy cream to re-emulsify
Prevention: Keep the pot at a gentle simmer after adding cream, and always remove from the heat source before adding cheese
Pasta is undercooked but all the liquid is gone
Cause: The heat was too high causing premature evaporation, or the lid was not secure
Fix: Stir in an additional 120ml of warm chicken broth or water, cover, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes
Prevention: Maintain a low simmer and keep the pot tightly covered during the cooking phase
Cultural Context
While not a strictly traditional Italian preparation, the one-pot pasta technique was heavily popularized by Italian-American home cooks looking to minimize cleanup while maximizing flavor. By cooking the dry pasta directly in its own sauce, the starches released from the wheat naturally thicken the cooking liquid, creating a velvety, emulsified coating without the need for a separate roux or thickener.
