Description
A comforting and creamy pasta dish combining tender chicken bites and rich smoked Gouda Parmesan cream sauce, perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken bites (boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta until just tender, which should take around 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken pieces, and season them with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the chicken is lightly browned and fully cooked through, then transfer to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the minced garlic to the same skillet, and cook briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the chicken broth, stirring gently to lift the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Next, add the heavy cream and cream cheese, whisking until the mixture becomes smooth.
- Gradually stir in the smoked Gouda, Parmesan, and mozzarella, mixing until the sauce thickens into a rich, creamy consistency.
- Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning along with half of the chopped parsley.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, stirring to coat it thoroughly in the sauce.
- Finally, add the cooked penne and gently toss everything to ensure each piece is evenly coated. Let it sit over low heat for a couple of minutes.
- Serve warm, garnished with the remaining parsley.
Notes
Pair with crusty bread or a Caesar salad for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 46g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
Keywords: creamy pasta, chicken penne, garlic butter, family dinner, comfort food