Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and add to a large bowl. Add smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Mix together to coat the chicken evenly.
- Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add chicken and cook on both sides for about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside.
- To the same pan, add butter. Once melted, add shallots and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until slightly softened. Then add garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add thyme, and pour in white wine. Cook the wine for 5 minutes, then add all purpose flour and chicken bouillon paste. Whisk together until a thin paste forms, about 2 to 4 minutes. Pour in heavy cream and add cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper and stir until cream cheese is melted into the sauce.
- Cook the sauce on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until it thickens to the consistency of a thick alfredo sauce. Then add parmesan, lemon juice, hot sauce, and parsley. Taste for salt and pepper and season as needed.
- Boil a large pot of salted water. Add pasta and boil until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- If needed, add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce to loosen it slightly. Add more if you prefer a thinner sauce.
- Cut the cooked chicken into bite sized pieces and fold it into the sauce along with any accumulated juices. Add the drained pasta and toss everything together to combine.
Notes
Pat the chicken dry before seasoning to get a good sear instead of steaming it in the pan.
Save some of the pasta water. Adding a splash of pasta water helps the sauce cling to the noodles.
Slice the chicken after it rests so it stays juicy.
Stir in the cooked pasta immediately after draining the pasta water so the sauce sticks to the noodles.
Use chicken thighs because they are juicier and harder to overcook.