Nothing calls out ‘comfort’ food more than some tasty pasta and chicken. Pour in some cream and parmesan, and you’ve got Creamy Paprika Chicken Pasta, the perfect quick fix for a lousy day.
With gooey bits of cheesy and chewy penne, the paprika seasoned chicken hits all the right spots in just one spoonful. Get rid of all your everyday woes with a brilliant dinner dish like this. The best part is it’s easier to make than you think!
What is Creamy Paprika Chicken Pasta?
Paprika; is possibly the spiciest condiment in your kitchen. The spice made from red bell peppers dried over an oak wood fire gives out a smokey flavour which typically compliments fish and meat really well. Today we’re using this traditional yet unbeatable spice for cooking some gourmet-style chicken and pasta.
Creamy Chicken Pasta with Paprika Ingredients
The ingredients for the recipe are as follows:
- Pasta: Use short pasta
- Olive Oil: Extra Virgin
- Chicken Breasts: They are the most wholesome part of the chicken
- Garlic: Peeled if that’s how you prefer
- Double Cream: Just the thickest cream you use at home
- Chicken Stock: You can simmer this beforehand
- Plain Flour: Also called all-purpose flour
- Hot Paprika: We’re talking about the powder, not the flakes
- Smoked Paprika: Also a powder
- Garlic powder: In addition to the cloves, we will add
- Salt and black pepper: Just the essentials
- Parmesan: The cheese that will bring the recipe together
- Parsley: Freshly picked works best
How to make the Creamy Paprika Chicken Pasta?
Cooking this chicken paprika pasta won’t take much of your time if you just do the preparation in the following order:
Getting all chopped ingredients ready
First things first, get all the chopped ingredients ready to go. There are two ingredients that need to be chopped:
The garlic needs to be finely diced so that the bits shouldn’t be too noticeable when consumed.
The chicken breast also needs to be cut into bite-sized portions. Long rectangle sized strips of chicken would work best.
The bunch of parsley you’d buy from the market would also need to be chopped so it can quickly diffuse and season the recipe.
Cooking the Pasta
Second, we’ll need to cook the pasta. Usually, adding the pasta to a pot of boiling water with salt and a little oil (to avoid it from sticking together) will be just fine.
But if the cooking instructions that come on the packet are any different, then follow those!
Since cooking the pasta takes a bit of time, in the meantime, you can get started on the following steps:
Preparing the Chicken and making the paprika sauce
Take out a large frying pan, and begin heating the oil. Once it starts to shimmer, add the chicken and fry it for 3-4 minutes. Stir it constantly while frying.
Now will be the right time to stir in the diced garlic, then add in some flour, paprika and garlic powder. Let the mixture rustle for 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the stock and cream, and mix it well. Then turn down the heat and let it simmer for 9-10 minutes.
By now, the pasta we left in the pot should be well cooked and ready to be combined with the rest of the ingredients. Drain the pasta, and add it to the frying pan.
Lastly, but not least, in fact, for the most flavoursome touches, add in the parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
Once added to a plate, garnish with some Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Ta-duh! The perfect comfort food now rests before your eyes to be devoured!
Top Tips
- Don't just chop the garlic; crush them with the garlic press. Crushing the garlic into the frying pan would give the best flavour. You wouldn’t even be able to identify the bits in your mouth.
- Everyone’s tolerance for spice is slightly different, so keep the paprika and other herbs on a low or keep tasting the sauce.
- You can use other parts of the chicken as well; we use chicken breasts because it cooks faster than the thighs.
Recipe Variations
- Along with garlic powder, paprika and smoked paprika, you can add in some Italian seasoning you can find at any grocery store. Since paprika is already a hot spice, just beware of how much you can handle.
- Sweet paprika is also a great choice, given it’s added with hot paprika.
- If you’re a veggie-lover, then zucchinis, baby spinach, and eggplant are great additions to the dish.
- Possibly already handy at home, you can add in some sour cream. It’s a lovely tangy hint to the recipe.
- Also, fresh basil leaves are an excellent replacement for parsley.
- For garnishing, you can also shave some lemon zest on top.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken pasta is a wholesome dish that will keep your tummy and heart full. If you’re feeling even more gourmet, plop some garlic bread in the oven. Nothing seems more appealing than a delicately spiced creamy pasta with a slice of crispy garlic bread or green salad on the side.
Storage
Make ahead of time: The sauce can be prepped ahead of time and can also be frozen and reheated for whenever you feel like whipping up a new batch of pasta.
Store: You can store this in the fridge, sealed tightly in a Tupperware container for three days.
Freeze: You can freeze the sauce separately for 3 months and add the chicken and pasta whenever you prepare a fresh batch.
To reheat: The creamy sauce will get a little heavy when you take it out of the fridge or freezer. Add a splash of water if it feels necessary and reheat for a similar consistency.
Recipe FAQ’s
You can use right about any short pasta of your choice. However, we recommend you use some textured pasta because it easily helps the seasoning and sauce stick to the pasta. This is why we use penne. It’s got the textured lines that we love for these kinds of sauces.
Boil water, and add in just a few drops of oil and salt. The water should always be four times the amount of pasta. Suppose you’re cooking 1 cup of pasta; you’ll need 4 cups of water to let the pasta fully expand. Once you see bubbles, the water has come to a boiling point. This is the perfect time to toss in your pasta. Let the pasta cook for 8-12 minutes before turning off the heat.
The best way to check if your pasta is done is to taste it. It should feel soft but still need to be slightly chewy enough to bite. If you’re pasta tastes like described, it means it is ‘Al Dente’ and ready to be plunged into the sauce.
The amount of spice you’ll feel totally depends on the quantity you’ll use and the type of spice. Regular paprika, probably the one you’ll get at the grocery store, is mild, somewhat sweet and hot only if added in excessive quantities (which you should avoid). Some Hungarian varieties are extremely hot, however. This is why we have a balance of our regular paprika and some smoked paprika in this recipe, which is typically a Spanish variety.
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Paprika Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 250 g Pasta , used penne
- 2 Chicken Breasts , cut into bitesize pieces
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic , peeled and crushed
- 150 ml Double Cream
- 500 ml Chicken Stock
- 1 tablespoon Plain Flour
- 1 teaspoon Hot Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Ground black Pepper
- 50 g Parmesan , grated
- 2 tablespoon Parsley , finely chopped
Instructions
- In hot, salted water, cook your pasta according to packet instructions and drain.250 g Pasta
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil, add the chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.2 tablespoon Olive Oil, 2 Chicken Breasts
- Now, stir in garlic, then add in flour, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder, and stir for 1-2 minutes.2 Cloves Garlic, 1 tablespoon Plain Flour, 1 teaspoon Hot Paprika, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, ¼ teaspoon Ground black Pepper
- Pour in the stock and cream, and stir well. then turn down the heat and simmer for 9-10 minutes.500 ml Chicken Stock, 150 ml Double Cream
- Now, stir in the cooked pasta, parmesan cheese and parsley and stir to combine.50 g Parmesan
- Garnish with some Parmesan and chopped parsley.2 tablespoon Parsley
Notes
- Don't just chop the garlic; crush them with the garlic press. Crushing the garlic into the frying pan would give the best flavour. You wouldn’t even be able to identify the bits in your mouth.
- Everyone’s tolerance for spice is slightly different, so keep the paprika and other herbs on a low or keep tasting the sauce.
- You can use other parts of the chicken as well; we use chicken breasts because it cooks faster than the thighs.
Some Variations
- Along with garlic powder, paprika and smoked paprika, you can add in some Italian seasoning you can find at any grocery store. Since paprika is already a hot spice, just beware of how much you can handle.
- Sweet paprika is also a great choice, given it’s added with hot paprika.
- If you’re a veggie-lover, then zucchinis, baby spinach, and eggplant are great additions to the dish.
- Possibly already handy at home, you can add in some sour cream. It’s a lovely tangy hint to the recipe.
- Also, fresh basil leaves are an excellent replacement for parsley.
- For garnishing, you can also shave some lemon zest on top.
Nutrition
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Manwalla
Creamy and delicious. Love paprika pasta so much. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Carol
Easy dinner and lovely recipe; I love all your pasta dishes. Thanks!
John
Only needed some chilli powder or red pepper flakes.
Maria
Chicken pasta dishes are my favourite dinner because they are one-pan dishes which I love so much.
Andrea
Looks creamy, will try it this weekend. Love paprika and chicken so much.