Description
A quick and easy family dinner recipe featuring tender chicken thighs and pasta coated in a creamy, sweet and spicy honey pepper sauce. Perfect for feeding a crowd of five with pantry staples.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound pasta (penne or rigatoni)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 100g)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and pat dry. Mince garlic and grate Parmesan cheese.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sprinkle with half the black pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. Add minced garlic to skillet and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from pan. Add honey, remaining black pepper, and heavy cream. Stir and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to skillet. Add cooked pasta, grated Parmesan, and a splash of reserved pasta water if needed. Toss to coat everything in sauce. Season with salt to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
[‘Use freshly cracked black pepper for best flavor.’, ‘Pat chicken dry to ensure good browning.’, ‘Simmer cream gently to avoid sauce separation.’, ‘Reserve pasta water to loosen sauce and help it cling to pasta.’, ‘Grate Parmesan fresh for better melting and flavor.’, ‘Optional: add 1/4 cup white wine when deglazing for extra depth.’, ‘Optional add-ins: baby spinach, kale, cherry tomatoes, or chicken sausage.’, ‘For dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.’, ‘Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently with splash of milk or broth.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/5
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: honey pepper chicken pasta, easy family dinner, creamy chicken pasta, quick pasta recipe, weeknight dinner