Creamy Chicken Porcini Pasta

This Creamy Chicken Porcini Pasta is a comforting yet refined pasta dish featuring tender chicken, earthy dried porcini mushrooms, garlic, fresh thyme, butter, and a light cream sauce that gently coats every piece of pasta.

Hey, folks!

Although I rarely use chicken with pasta — as it’s not a traditional Italian pairing — there is something genuinely special about this particular combination. The savoury depth of porcini mushrooms, the richness of butter and cream, and the aromatic lift of garlic and thyme work beautifully with tender chicken, creating a dish that feels balanced, comforting, and quietly indulgent. So, let’s dive into this Creamy Chicken Porcini Pasta.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Chicken Porcini Pasta

• Elegant comfort food: Rich and satisfying without being heavy or overly creamy.
• Deep mushroom flavour: Dried porcini add intensity and umami that fresh mushrooms simply can’t replicate.
• Balanced and aromatic: Garlic and thyme bring freshness and structure to the sauce.
• Weeknight-friendly: Straightforward technique with restaurant-style results.
• A thoughtful exception: A rare chicken-and-pasta pairing that truly works.

Flavour and Texture Profile

This pasta is creamy but light, with a sauce that clings rather than pools. The porcini deliver a deep, earthy backbone, while butter and cream soften and round the flavours. Garlic and thyme add warmth and fragrance, and the chicken stays tender and juicy, offering substance without overwhelming the dish.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Recipe

For this Creamy Chicken Porcini Pasta, gather the following ingredients, starting with the main elements and finishing with aromatics and seasoning.

• Short pasta: Penne or fusilli work best, as their shape holds the sauce well.
• Chicken breasts: Skinless and sliced into bite-sized pieces for even cooking.
• Dried porcini mushrooms: Intensely flavoured and essential for depth.
• Butter and olive oil: Used together for richness and balance.
• Garlic: Minced finely to melt into the sauce without overpowering it.
• Fresh thyme: Adds herbal warmth and pairs beautifully with porcini.
• Light cream: Just enough to create a silky sauce without heaviness.
• Black pepper: Essential for gentle heat and balance.

How to Make Creamy Chicken Porcini Pasta

Start by soaking the dried porcini in warm water until softened, allowing them to fully rehydrate and release their flavour. Once ready, chop them if large, and strain the soaking liquid carefully if you plan to use it later for extra depth.

In a wide pan, heat olive oil with butter and cook the chicken over medium-high heat until just cooked through and lightly golden. Reduce the heat, season gently, add thyme, and let the chicken finish cooking slowly before removing it from the pan to keep it tender.

In the same pan, melt the remaining butter and cook the garlic briefly until aromatic. Add the porcini and cook until fragrant, then stir in the cream and let it gently thicken. Cook the pasta separately in well-salted water, optionally replacing some of the water with the strained porcini liquid for added flavour. Combine everything together, loosening the sauce with reserved pasta water as needed, and adjust seasoning to taste.

Possible Additions and Variations

• White wine: A small splash added before the cream can brighten the sauce.
• Parmesan: Use sparingly, as porcini already bring savoury depth.
• Fresh parsley: Adds colour and freshness just before serving.
• Extra creaminess: A little more butter instead of extra cream keeps the sauce elegant.

More Delicious Pasta Recipes

Are you looking for more hearty recipes, like this Creamy Chicken Porcini Pasta? Be sure to check more recipes below:

• Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta (Pasta al Baffo)
• Fontina Ham Pasta (Pasta Alla Valdostana)
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta Without Cream
• Creamy Ham and Pea Pasta (Pasta alla Papalina)

I’d love for you to try this Creamy Chicken Porcini Pasta. If you give it a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts!

Cheers!

Print

Creamy Chicken Porcini Pasta

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Pasta and Gnocchi

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Creamy chicken porcini pasta with tender chicken, porcini mushrooms, garlic, butter, fresh thyme, and a touch of cream for an elegant meal.

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Ingredients

• 400-450 g. short pasta (e.g., penne or fusilli)

• 2 medium chicken skinless breasts, slice into 1,5-2 cm thick pieces

• 35 g. dried porcini

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp (15 ml.) olive oil

• 2 tbsp (30 g) butter, divided

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme

• pepper, to taste

• 1/4 cup (60 ml.) light (e.g., 5% or 10%) cream

Directions

• Place the porcini in a bowl and add warm water enough to fully cover. Cover and let stand for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the soften mushrooms and chop if they are large. You can discard the liquid; however, I recommend to stain it few times through a sieve and use it in step 7.
• In a meanwhile, heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a pan. Cook the chicken over high medium heat for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
• Reduce heat to low medium. Add the thyme, salt, pepper, cover, and cook, occasionally stirring, for another 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken.
• Add the remaining butter and garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the porcini and cook 5 minutes more until fragrant.
• Stir in the cream and let it simmer to thicken for a few minutes.
• Cook the pasta in the salted boiling water as recommended on package. While measuring of the water, I recommend substituting one cup of water for the filtered liquid – the pasta will be more flavorful.
  Drain the cooked pasta reserving about 1 cup of water.
• Combine the pasta with the sauce. Add some of the reserved water if necessary to thin up the sauce. Try and season more if needed.