Creamy Mushroom Chicken Spaghettini (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and spaghettini in a velvety mushroom cream sauce. Indulgent yet light comfort food ready in under 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz whole wheat spaghettini or regular spaghettini

→ Chicken

02 - 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, approximately 12 oz total
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Mushrooms & Vegetables

06 - 9 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped, optional

→ Sauce

11 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
12 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
13 - 3/4 cup low-fat milk, 1% or 2%
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
18 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghettini according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, pound chicken breasts to even thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate, cover loosely, and let rest.
04 - In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms and onion; sauté 4-5 minutes until softened and golden. Add garlic and thyme, cook 1 minute.
05 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables; stir well and cook 1 minute.
06 - Gradually whisk in chicken broth, followed by milk, stirring to avoid lumps. Bring to gentle simmer; cook 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
07 - Add Parmesan cheese and Dijon mustard; stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add spinach if using, stir until wilted.
08 - Slice chicken into strips. Add cooked spaghettini and chicken to sauce; toss gently to coat. Add splash of reserved pasta water if needed for desired consistency.
09 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes creamy and indulgent but wont leave you feeling weighed down afterward.
  • Everything comes together in one skillet after the pasta boils, so cleanup is mercifully simple.
  • The sauce clings to those thin noodles in a way that makes every bite satisfying.
  • You can have this on the table in less than an hour, even on a weeknight.
02 -
  • Do not skip pounding the chicken, uneven thickness means part of it will be dry while the rest is still cooking.
  • Whisk the broth and milk in slowly or youll end up with a lumpy sauce that no amount of stirring will fix.
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining, its the easiest way to adjust the sauce consistency without adding more liquid.
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking so the juices redistribute, slicing it too soon makes it dry.
03 -
  • Use a nonstick skillet so the chicken releases easily and you can deglaze the pan without scraping off burnt bits.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, its much easier to adjust seasoning when the sauce is on its own.
  • If you want extra richness without extra calories, stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese instead of more milk.
  • Fresh thyme makes a noticeable difference here, but dried works if thats what you have on hand.
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