Chicken mushroom pasta turns cooked chicken into a warm dinner with sliced mushrooms and a Parmesan cream sauce. The mushrooms soften in olive oil, garlic perfumes the pan, and low-fat cream brings the ingredients together. Because the chicken is already cooked, this recipe focuses on reheating it thoroughly while keeping the sauce at a gentle simmer. The 8 ounces of pasta make four servings when combined with the chicken and sauce.
Use refrigerated cooked chicken that is still within its safe storage period. Chicken mushroom pasta is well suited to a small amount of leftover roast chicken, but leftovers do not gain extra storage days when added to a new dish. Prepare the mushrooms, garlic, and cheese before the pasta finishes cooking.
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Why This Recipe Works
Cooking mushrooms before adding liquid allows their moisture to evaporate instead of diluting the cream. Spread the slices across the skillet and stir occasionally. Once they soften, the garlic needs only a brief period in the warm pan before the sauce ingredients follow.
The sauce uses low-fat cream, whose composition varies by product and country. Choose a plain, unsweetened cream product intended for cooking and follow any heat guidance on its label. Gentle heat helps a lower-fat cream stay smooth.
Ingredients for Chicken Mushroom Pasta
For this dish, gather the ingredients below and keep the cooked chicken refrigerated until needed. Finely grated Parmesan blends more easily than coarse shreds. Parsley is a finishing garnish, while salt and pepper are adjusted after the cheese goes in.
- 8 oz pasta, any pasta shape can be used, such as fettuccine or penne
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup cooked chicken, diced
- 1 cup low-fat cream, plain, unsweetened cooking cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh parsley, for garnish
How to Make Chicken Mushroom Pasta
Coordinate the pasta and mushrooms. Cook the noodles until al dente according to their package directions. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat and spread the mushrooms across the skillet. Occasional stirring allows contact with the pan; constant movement or a crowded mound encourages steaming.
Let mushroom moisture escape. Wait until the slices soften and most of their released liquid evaporates before adding garlic. This keeps the cream from turning watery. Stir the garlic just until fragrant, reducing the heat if it starts to color.
Warm the cooked chicken gently. Add the diced chicken and cooking cream and maintain a soft simmer for about 5 minutes. Small bubbles around the edges are enough; a rolling boil can separate a lower-fat cream product. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F throughout before finishing the sauce.
Melt the cheese over low heat. Add finely grated Parmesan gradually, letting each addition blend. Taste afterward because the cheese and cooked chicken may already be salty. Toss in the drained pasta and use a little water if the coating becomes too tight; the goal is a sauce that moves with the noodles, not a thick paste. Finish with parsley and serve promptly.
How to Serve
Serve chicken mushroom pasta right away while the cream sauce is loose. A leafy salad or lightly cooked vegetables offers a fresh contrast without another heavy sauce. Spoon any mushrooms left in the skillet over the portions rather than leaving them behind.
For a meal using a different starch, slow cooker chicken and mushroom stroganoff is another mushroom-centered choice. It offers a comforting rice or noodle topping.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate chicken mushroom pasta promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below. Use within three to four days, counting from when the chicken was originally cooked if using leftovers. Refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 90°F.
Reheat gently with a small splash of water to loosen the sauce, stirring and checking that it reaches 165°F throughout. FoodSafety.gov’s temperature chart gives the safe minimum for reheating leftovers. Avoid repeatedly warming and cooling the whole container.
Tips for the Best Texture
The sauce needs softened mushrooms before the cream is added. If the pan stays wet, give the mushrooms more time rather than increasing the sauce temperature to boil away the water.
Cooked rotisserie or roast chicken works well here. For a sauce with a different dairy base, see cream cheese pasta. Yogurt adds more tang and can separate when simmered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken in chicken mushroom pasta?
Yes, if it has been refrigerated safely and remains within its storage window. Dice it into small pieces and reheat thoroughly in the sauce.
What does low-fat cream mean here?
Use a plain cream product sold for cooking, with lower fat than heavy cream. Check its label, because names and stabilizers vary; sweetened coffee creamer is unsuitable.
Should I wash or wipe mushrooms?
Remove visible dirt and dry the mushrooms before slicing. Excess surface water makes them steam and lengthens the sautéing stage.
Can I use raw chicken instead?
Cook it separately to 165°F before adding it. Dice the fully cooked chicken before folding it into the sauce.
Can I freeze this pasta?
Freezing can soften the noodles and change the lower-fat sauce texture. Refrigeration for a short period is the better choice when texture matters.
More Recipes to Try
If this dish fits your dinner plans, creamy garlic Parmesan chicken pasta offers a garlic-focused alternative, while creamy pesto pasta brings basil into the sauce.
- Parmesan Chicken Penne with a Creamy Garlic Broth Sauce
- Garlic Mushroom Pasta with Butter, Lemon, and Parmesan
Chicken Mushroom Pasta with Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta any pasta shape can be used, such as fettuccine or penne
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup cooked chicken diced
- 1 cup low-fat cream plain, unsweetened cooking cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Cook 8 ounces pasta in boiling water according to the package directions until al dente, then drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sliced mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until soft and their released moisture has mostly evaporated; add garlic and stir until fragrant.
- Add the diced cooked chicken and cream. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is hot throughout and reaches 165°F; avoid a rolling boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan gradually until melted. Season with salt and pepper, then add the pasta and toss until coated; loosen with a splash of water if needed.
- Divide among four bowls and garnish with parsley. Serve promptly while the sauce is loose.
Notes
- Refrigerate within 2 hours; use within 3–4 days of the chicken’s original cooking date.
- Reheat individual portions gently to 165°F with a splash of water.
