One Pot Chicken Penne

A creamy, cozy one-pot chicken penne pasta made in under thirty minutes. Tender chicken, rich parmesan sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta with zero extra pots to wash.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Starch Retention: Cooking the pasta directly in the liquid releases starches that naturally thicken the sauce without needing excess flour or heavy thickeners.
• One-Pan Cleanup: By searing the chicken and simmering the pasta in the same skillet, you save your forearms from scrubbing multiple pots.
• Infused Flavor: The penne absorbs the savory chicken broth and garlic as it cooks, making every bite deeply flavorful from the inside out.

I ruined my favorite slippers over a bowl of pasta.

It was a rainy Tuesday night, and my cheap aluminum skillet warped under the heat, splashing boiling cream everywhere while I frantically tried to drain penne in a plastic colander that was already melting—a tad clumsy, I'll admit. My forearms literally ached from juggling three different pots, and the sheer chaos of the cleanup made me want to banish pasta from my kitchen forever.

I learned the hard way that cooking shouldn't feel like a high-stakes circus act.

The traditional method of boiling pasta in gallons of water actually strips away starch. When you dump that cloudy water down the drain, you throw away your best emulsifier.

Enter the one-pot method, where the pasta cooks directly in the sauce.

Bear with me here, because this is pure food science.

By simmering the noodles directly in the broth and cream, we create a tight protein matrix that clings to every single penne tube.

It is the same principle we used to perfect our creamy garlic chicken pasta.

If you loved our one pot marry me chicken pasta, you already know how magical this starch-gelatinization process is.

One Pot Chicken Penne

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine American-Italian
• Category Dinner, Pasta
• Prep Time 10 mins
• Cook Time 20 mins
• Servings 4
• Calories 620 calories
• Rating 4.8 3078
• Tags one pot chicken penne, creamy parmesan pasta, easy weeknight dinner, chicken pasta recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 500g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 300g penne pasta (uncooked)
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Season the chicken pieces with half of the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried oregano.
3. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
5. Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream, remaining salt, and the uncooked penne pasta, stirring well to ensure the pasta is mostly submerged.
6. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking.
7. Once the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened, remove the skillet from the heat.
8. Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and baby spinach, mixing until the cheese is completely melted and the spinach is wilted. Let sit for 2 minutes to thicken before serving.

Notes

• We highly recommend using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using standard table salt, cut the measurement in half (use 1/2 tablespoon instead of 1 tablespoon) to avoid over-salting.
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano is crucial here. Pre-shredded bagged cheese contains cellulose, an anti-caking agent that prevents the cheese from melting smoothly, which will ruin your creamy protein matrix and leave you with a grainy sauce.
• Keep an eye on the heat during the simmer phase. If your stove runs hot, the cream can scorch at the bottom of the pan; stir every 3 minutes, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to prevent burning.
• As the pasta sits in the fridge, the noodles will continue to absorb liquid. When reheating, add a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce back to its original velvety texture.

Serving Suggestions

This creamy pasta is a complete meal on its own, but you can easily round out the table with a few simple additions to balance the rich flavors.

• A crisp green salad, like our refreshing strawberry spinach salad, to cut through the richness of the cream sauce.
• Warm, crusty garlic bread to scoop up any leftover parmesan sauce from the plate.
• Roasted broccoli or asparagus spears seasoned with lemon zest for a bright, green side.
• A glass of chilled, dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc to complement the parmesan.

Storage and Reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Because of the dairy content, we do not recommend freezing this dish, as the cream sauce will break and separate upon thawing.

When you pull it out the next day, you will notice the pasta has absorbed almost all the sauce.

Do not panic; this is completely normal. To reheat, place the pasta in a saucepan over low heat, add two tablespoons of milk or chicken broth, and stir gently until warmed through and creamy again.

Avoid the microwave if you can, as it tends to oil-separate the cheese.

Ingredient Substitutes

If you need to swap things out based on what is in your pantry, here are some easy alternatives that work beautifully without compromising the final dish.

1. Gluten-Free Penne: You can use high-quality gluten-free penne, but reduce the simmer time by 3 minutes to prevent the noodles from turning mushy.
2. Half-and-Half: If you do not have heavy cream, half-and-half works, but you may need to stir in an extra tablespoon of butter at the end to make up for the lost fat content.
3. Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for breasts; they are actually more forgiving and stay incredibly juicy during the simmer.
4. Broccoli Florets: Swap the spinach for small broccoli florets, adding them to the pan during the last 6 minutes of simmering so they steam to tender-crisp perfection.

Let me know if you try this one-pot wonder! It has saved my Tuesday nights more times than I can count, and I promise your slippers will remain completely safe from flying cream.