Ingredients:

  • 450 g penne pasta
  • 680 g boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 30 ml olive oil
  • 5 g salt
  • 2 g black pepper
  • 2 g Italian seasoning
  • 56 g unsalted butter
  • 18 g garlic, minced
  • 480 ml heavy cream
  • 100 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 g ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 120 ml reserved pasta water

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Before draining, scoop out 120 ml of the cloudy pasta water and set it aside.
  2. While the pasta boils, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add to the pan in a single layer and sear until golden-brown (about 3-4 minutes per side). Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Melt the butter in the skillet and stir in the minced garlic. Cook for 60 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and nutmeg; bring to a gentle simmer for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  4. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Fold the cooked penne and seared chicken back into the sauce. Whisk in reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time if the sauce is too thick.