This truffle chicken and mushroom pasta is so good that if I could send a bite through the screen, I would. Some things are too good not to share.
Juicy chicken, that oomph of rich, restaurant-style truffle flavour, buttery mushrooms, all combined together in one seriously tasty dish.
I'm big on creamy pasta dishes, but I prefer making a roux over using cream. It’s a budget friendly swap, lighter on carbs (if you care about that), and gives you the same creamy, satisfying texture.
Plus, I don't have to stare at the carton every time I open the fridge, wondering what to do with the leftover cream.
And let’s please talk about truffle oil, such a gem of an ingredient. The Michelin-star chefs might cancel me for loving something that’s nothing like the real truffles (which, by the way, I can’t afford anyway), but who cares!
I use truffle oil all the time. In creamy chicken dish I love, stirred into hummus, in my pasta, whisked into sauces. My favourite use is in an aioli recipe inspired by one I enjoy at a local bar, served with parmesan fries. UNREAL!
Today’s recipe is a total home run. If you're looking to impress your guests, or just treat yourself to something that feels a bit special, you’ll be glad you gave this one a go.
Pre-cooking notes
A few quick ingredient tips before you start. Check the recipe card below for quantities.
- I’ve used boneless chicken breast here, but feel free to sub with boneless thighs. If you're new to cooking, thighs might actually be a better pick since they’re more forgiving when it comes to overcooking.
- The reason I prefer unsalted butter and have also used it in the recipe is because it allows me to control the salt in the dish. But if you've only got salted butter, reduce the quantity of added salt and then adjust later if needed.
- Freshly grated Parmesan is SO much better than the pre-shredded cheese you find in stores. No major issues using pre-grated, and I know convenience matters, but if you can, grate a block of cheese. It does make a difference.
- Both white and black truffle oil can be used, but black is often stronger in taste, just to keep something in mind.
- Skip the crushed red pepper flakes if you want zero spice. There’s only a small quantity anyway, but up to you.
- If you don't have fresh lemons, fresh lime juice also works great. Just make sure it's fresh, not the bottled, unrefrigerated juice sold in stores.
A visual guide for making truffle chicken mushroom pasta
Here are pictures of the key steps to help you see what your food should look like along the process. The full recipe, with ingredients, amounts, and all the helpful notes, is in the recipe card below.
Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with some salt and pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
Heat some oil in the same pan and add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Let them cook without stirring for the first 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottoms are browned. Then stir occasionally and cook for a few more minutes or until all the released moisture has cooked off. Transfer to the plate containing chicken.
To prepare the sauce, reduce the heat to medium and in the same pan, melt butter and add the sliced onions. Stir and cook until the onions get soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
Add flour and stir for 1 minute.
Gradually pour in room-temp milk and mix to dissolve all the clumps. Simmer for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens very slightly. Add crushed chicken bouillon and stir again.
Add Parmesan, and the remaining mentioned quantities of salt and pepper. Also mix in oregano and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce looks smooth.
Add back the chicken and mushrooms to the pan. Add Dijon, lemon juice, and truffle oil. If the sauce thickens too much, mix in a small amount of warm water to loosen it. Taste and adjust the seasoning and truffle oil quantity if needed.
Add the cooked pasta to the pan and mix gently. Let it warm up, remove from the heat, top with some chopped basil/parsley and extra Parmesan, and enjoy!
Top tips
- When simmering the sauce after adding milk, aim to thicken it very slightly. If you let it cook too long to try and get a saucy consistency at this stage, you'll have to thin it out later, which can get tricky.
- Truffle oils vary quite a lot in strength. There’s no one-size-fits-all amount that I can share with you, so start with less. Maybe even less than what I’ve written, then add a little more at a time to your sauce and adjust to your liking.
- Don’t swap the butter for oil when making the sauce. Since we’re not using cream, you need the butter to get that rich, creamy flavor.
Serving ideas
Some crusty bread, or garlic bread would go really well with this pasta. A fresh crisp green salad on the side will also pair great. If using a vinaigrette, make sure it's not a strong-tasting one, or it will overpower the taste of your pasta.
I’d love to hear from you, so please share your feedback and rating below. I try to respond to all comments.
Happy cooking – Nelo
Truffle Chicken Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
For cooking pasta
- 8 ounces (227 g) pasta - uncooked, I prefer penne
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil - to prevent drained pasta from clumping
For truffle chicken mushroom pasta
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large (225 g) chicken breast - skinless, boneless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8 ounces (227 g) brown/cremini mushrooms - thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt - divided
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper - divided
- 3 tablespoons (40 g) unsalted butter - (Note A)
- 1 medium onion - thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups (355 ml) whole milk - room temperature
- ½ chicken bouillon cube - or substitute with bouillon powder or base
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan - press it down as you fill the cup
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - optional, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice - or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon truffle oil - (Note B)
Optional Garnishes
- some chopped fresh basil or parsley
- some more freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just al dente (follow package instructions). Drain and toss with 1 teaspoon oil to keep it from sticking. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken (don't overcrowd) and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Let them cook without stirring for the first 2 to 3 minutes, to brown the bottoms. Then stir occasionally and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more or until all the released moisture has cooked off. Transfer to the plate containing cooked chicken.
- Now, for making the sauce, reduce the heat to medium. In the same pan, melt the butter and add the sliced onions. Stir occasionally until the onions get soft.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly for 1 minute. Gradually pour in room-temp milk and mix until all the clumpiness is gone. Simmer for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens very slightly. Crush the chicken bouillon, add it, and stir.
- Add Parmesan, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce looks smooth. Return the cooked chicken and mushrooms to the pan. Add Dijon, lemon juice, and truffle oil. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of warm water to loosen it.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning and truffle oil quantity as needed. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix gently to coat. Continue to warm up your pasta over low heat just until heated through.
- Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped basil or parsley and extra Parmesan, if you like. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Kailey Grace says
This was delicious, my family loved it - even my 5 year old!! (Took out the red pepper flakes)
Nelo Samad says
Yayyy! So happy that everyone enjoyed the pasta, Kailey! Thanks for trying the recipe and for coming back to share your lovely review!