This Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle is unbelievably quick and simple – just 5 main ingredients and ready in under 15 minutes! But it tastes AMAZING – perfect when you’re short on time but you still want to eat well. (You can make this with any pasta shape, but I think it works best with tagliatelle!)
Easy Peasy Chicken Pasta!
One of my favourite easy peasy midweek meals is Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle. It’s unbelievably quick and simple to make and requires only 5 main ingredients: pasta, chicken, garlic, cream and parsley – plus a little salt and pepper. (You can also add a little grated parmesan too, if you like – optional, but recommended!)
This dish is ready in under 15 minutes! But it tastes AMAZING – it’s a real crowd pleaser and perfect when you’re short on time but you still want to eat well.
How to make Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle
This Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle recipe is so easy to make!
All you need to do is cook the tagliatelle then drain, reserving a little of the pasta water. In the time it takes to cook the pasta, you make the sauce by frying the diced chicken and garlic, then adding the cream. Add the drained tagliatelle and a little of that pasta water, then turn off the heat and scatter with parsley. Serve, scattered with a little grated parmesan and more parsley.
(Full recipe given in the recipe card below.)
What to serve with Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle
This easy chicken pasta is a complete meal in it’s own right, but you could also serve this with a side salad and/or garlic bread.
What to drink with Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle
Creamy chicken pasta dishes go really well with Chardonnay – both oaked and unoaked styles work well. But personally, I would choose a Chardonnay with a bit of oomph from somewhere like the South of France, Chile, Australia, California or South Africa.
Other possible options include Soave, Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc.
Personally, I would not recommend a rosé or red wine, as I they don’t tend to pair well with creamy sauces.
Make it your own
This is such a flexible recipe, you can easily adapt it to what you have available in the fridge and cupboards. For example, you can…
- Use turkey instead of chicken
- Use leftover cooked chicken instead of raw chicken
- Add bacon (fry first before adding the chicken)
- Add veggies, such as onions, peppers or mushrooms (be sure to fry them first)
- Add fresh or frozen spinach (add in with the cream)
- Add in some halved cherry tomatoes or some sundried tomatoes (add in with the cream)
- Add frozen peas or sweetcorn (add in with the cream)
- Use crème fraiche instead of cream
- Use basil instead of parsley
(I’d love to hear about how you have adapted my recipe… Let me know in the comments section below!)
Can you reheat leftover Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle?
No – this is a dish that’s best served fresh!
Can you freeze leftover Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle?
No – this is a dish that’s best served fresh!
If you like this recipe…
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Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle
Ingredients
- 300 g tagliatelle (Or any pasta shape you like! This also works well with fusilli, penne, linguine and spaghetti.)
- 400 g chicken breast cut into bitesize pieces (roughly 2cm / ¾inch cubes)
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic grated or crushed
- 150 ml double cream
- 2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- Grated parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the tagliatelle according to packet instructions / your own preferences. Drain, reserving some of the pasta cooking water. (See Note 1.)
- Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a high heat for 1 minute and season the diced chicken with a little salt and black pepper.
- When the frying pan is heated, add the chicken pieces and fry until light golden brown on all sides, stirring regularly. (Approximately 4-5 minutes – do not overcook! See Note 2.)
- Turn the heat right down and wait 30 seconds, then add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute – taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Add the cream and turn the heat up to medium.
- When the cream is just starting to bubble. Add the drained tagliatelle and 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. Stir well and add more pasta water if necessary to achieve your desired consistency.
- Turn off the heat and scatter with parsley. Stir well to ensure the parsley is well mixed in. Then serve, scattered with grated parmesan, more black pepper and more parsley.
Notes
- I recommend cooking the pasta until it’s nearly but not quite your desired texture as it will cook a little bit more in the sauce.
- Cooked as per the above instructions, the chicken should be fully cooked all the way through. However, if you are at all unsure, check the chicken is cooked through by cutting open the largest piece you can find. There should be no pink meat. If you do find pink meat, return the pan to the heat and continue cooking for a further minute, then check again.
- Not suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
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CAROLE says
Hi Eb, this looks fantastic can’t wait to try it. If I’m using leftover chicken, at what point do I need to add it?
Eb Gargano says
Thank you! Add it at the same point as the raw chicken, but don’t cook it for quite as long. The aim is that, by the time you’ve got to the end of the recipe, the chicken is piping hot all the way through (to avoid food poisoning!) but don’t cook too long or the chicken will get overcooked and tough. It depends on how big you cut it, but probably fry for 2-3 minutes on medium before you add the garlic.
Cole Tyler says
Hi Eb
Followed your recipe and added bacon pieces, quick and easy, even for a novice cook.
Looked and tasted like I have spent ages slaving over the hob 😆
More hubby points… 👍
Cole
Eb Gargano says
Aw, that’s so good to hear! Thank you for this lovely review 😀
Cole Tyler says
Hi Eb
Tried it again and added Chestnut and white mushrooms (thinly sliced) this time… with thinly choped onion, I added these when frying the garlic just for a few minutes more….Oh wow my Mrs said I am wasted as a builder 😆..
Kind regards Cole
Eb Gargano says
Aw, that’s so good to hear! Thank you for this lovely review 😀