This spicy, creamy pasta with crispy chicken is a blend of indulgence and lightness. The pasta is coated in a rich, velvety sauce with a kick of spice.
The air-fried chicken brings a golden, crunchy exterior that's wonderfully crispy without the extra oil, giving you a lighter yet crispy texture.
Together, the tender pasta and crispy chicken make for an irresistible dish! Creamy, smoky, garlicky, and just the right amount of heat, it just hits
I love serving this with a crusty side of buttered gluten-free white bread, and a fresh, light salad like my kale and apple salad.
Ingredients
There are a fair amount of ingredients to round-up for this recipe. Nothing complicated though - here's what to gather:
For the crispy chicken
- Chicken breasts: Boneless and skinless for easy cooking and even crisping. Pound them to an even thickness for uniform cooking.
- Olive oil: Adds moisture and helps the seasoning stick to the chicken.
- Chili mix: A blend of spices that adds warmth and delicious taste.
- Paprika and Italian seasonings: Together, these provide a mix of herbs and savory flavors.
- Eggs: Help the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken, getting a crispy coating.
- Breadcrumbs: Create a crunchy crust when fried. Panko breadcrumbs can be used for extra crispiness.
- Cooking oil/olive oil: Used for frying to achieve a golden, crispy texture. A high-smoke-point oil like vegetable or canola oil works well.
For the pasta
- Pasta: Choose a sturdy pasta like fettuccine, linguine, or penne to hold up to the creamy sauce.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and a silky texture to the sauce.
- Onion: Just good old white onions are fine, but red onions will do too.
- Garlic: Locks in savory goodness.
- Cayenne peppers: Adds a little heat to balance the creaminess.
- White button mushrooms: Simple white mushrooms are perfect in this recipe.
- Heavy cream: Creates a luscious and rich sauce.
- Milk: Lightens the sauce while keeping it creamy.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds a nutty, salty depth to the sauce. Use freshly grated for the best texture.
- Chili mix: You could leave it out if you don't want too much chili.
- Parsley: I wouldn't suggest skipping the fresh herbs. They just add a bright pop.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Get everything ready and make your creamy pasta with crispy chicken in a flash:
- Step 1: Marinate the chicken in the spices and seasonings.
- Step 2: Dip the chicken in egg and then coat in breadcrumbs. Place the chicken in the air fryer, brush it with olive oil, and cook.
- Step 3: Melt the butter in a pan, add sliced onion, minced garlic, and chili.
- Step 4: Saute the onion, add the sliced mushroom, and cook until softened.
- Step 5: Pour in the cream, pasta water and milk. Stir to combine.
- Step 6: Add the pasta and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chili, parmesan, and season. Slice the chicken and layer on top.
Hint: Reserve pasta water: A magical starchy water to thicken the sauce, giving a creamy and smooth texture.
Substitutions
Want to know if you can use other ingredients in this creamy pasta with crispy chicken recipe? Here are a bunch of ingredient alternatives:
- For the crispy chicken: Use thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- Breadcrumbs: I sometimes use panko breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes instead. Almond flour is a delicious gluten-free alternative.
- Eggs: Buttermilk or Greek yogurt can work to help the breadcrumbs stick while adding tanginess.
- Pasta: Use a gluten free pasta or serve this with zucchini noodles.
- Heavy cream: Half-and-half or coconut cream is perfect for a lighter or dairy-free alternative.
- Milk: Try make it with almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk.
- Butter: Ghee or plant-based butter are great swaps.
- Parmesan cheese: Instead of parmesan, use nutritional yeast or dairy-free parmesan.
- White button mushrooms: To get a little fancy, use Cremini or portobello mushrooms.
Variations
Oh my goodness, there are so many directions to take this creamy pasta with crispy chicken in. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Crispy chicken parmesan: Add a layer of marinara sauce and melted mozzarella over the crispy chicken.
- Garlic butter shrimp pasta: Replace crispy chicken with sautéed shrimp cooked in garlic butter.
- Crispy tofu or cauliflower: For a vegetarian version, use pressed tofu or cauliflower florets.
- Sun-dried tomato pasta: Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes for a tangy, umami boost.
- Buffalo-style chicken: Toss the crispy chicken in buffalo sauce and serve with a blue cheese crumble.
- Smoky chipotle pasta: Add chipotle powder or adobo sauce.
- Blackened chicken pasta: Use a blackening spice rub for a bold, Cajun-style crust.
- Zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash: Replace pasta with veggie noodles.
- Almond flour breading: Swap breadcrumbs for almond flour.
- Cauliflower cream sauce: Blend steamed cauliflower with garlic and broth for a lighter, dairy-free sauce alternative.
Equipment
You'll need an air fryer and a skillet to cook your chicken in. A sharp chef's knife to prep everything and slice through the chicken helps.
Storage
Store pasta and chicken separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days. This helps preserve the crispiness of the chicken.
Reheat pasta in a microwave, adding a splash of milk or water to loosen the sauce.
To reheat the chicken, use an air fryer or oven at 350°F (180°C ) for 5-7 minutes to restore crispiness.
Top tip 1
For creamy sauce: Simmer the sauce over low heat to keep the sauce lump-free. Be patient if you can!
FAQ
Adjust the chili amount to match your preferred spice tolerance. If you don't like spicy, omit the chilies and spicy spices
Bake the chicken breasts in a preheated oven at 375℉ (190℃) for 15-20 minutes, and flip halfway. If you have a small air fryer, cook in batches or use the oven, avoid crowding it!
Adding a pinch of salt when cooking pasta can help the noodles maintain their firmness and become less mushy.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Creamy Pasta with Crispy Chicken
Ingredients
- Crispy Chicken Breasts
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.25 lbs)
- 2 tbs olive oil
- ½ tbs chili mix
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 2 medium size eggs beaten
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- Cooking oil/olive oil
Pasta Ingredients
- 11 oz pasta
- 1 tbs olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ stick unsalted butter 56g
- ½ cup sliced onion
- 2 tbs minced garlic
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ½ tbs diced cayenne peppers
- 5 oz sliced white button mushroom 8-9 medium size
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup pasta water for the cooked pasta
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tbs chili mix
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water for the pasta. Add pasta, season with salt and olive oil, and cook until about 80% done (slightly before al dente, you will cook the pasta again).
- Reserve one cup of pasta water before draining. Depending on the nature of your pasta, you may need more pasta water.
- Preheat an air fryer to 375℉ (190℃)
- Tenderize or prick holes on chicken breasts before marinating. Marinate with olive oil, chilli mix, paprika, black pepper, salt, and Italian seasonings for 15 minutes, massaging the marinade into the chicken for deeper flavor.
- Dip the marinated chicken in beaten eggs and coat in breadcrumbs. Gently press to ensure the crumbs adhere.
- Place the coated chicken in the air fryer basket. Spray or brush a thin layer of olive oil and cook for 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken breast). Flip halfway through for even cooking.
- While the chicken is cooking, start on the pasta.
- Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat until melted.
- Add sliced onion, minced garlic, and chili. Saute until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is golden. Add the sliced mushroom and cook until softened.
- Pour in the heavy cream, reserved pasta water and milk. Stir well until combined.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes or until pasta is al-dente allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Add chili mix and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Once the chicken is ready, transfer them to a cutting board and slice it into ½-inch thick slices for serving.
- Serve and garnish:
- Plate the pasta, topped with crispy chicken and garnish with parsley, cherry belle radish slices, and Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutritional information provided is an estimate. For specific dietary needs or concerns, we recommend consulting a nutrition calculator or a qualified expert.
Dorothy says
The pasta is super creamy and delicious! The kids love them so much and the air-fried chicken is so perfect, saved me a lot of cleaning mess!!