A silky, golden pasta dish featuring sautéed chicken breast, earthy mushrooms, and a rich curry-infused cream sauce.
Servings 3people
Course Main Course
Cuisine International, Turkish
Ingredients
9ozPenne or Fettuccine pasta (half a pack)
11ozChicken breast (diced)
10mediumWhite button mushrooms (sliced)
¾cupHeavy whipping cream
1tbspVegetable oil
1tspCurry powder
1tspDried basil
½cupReserved pasta water
Salt to taste
Equipment
Deep Skillet or Sauté Pan: Large enough to hold the sauce and the pasta together.
Large Pot: For boiling your pasta to "al dente" perfection.
Colander: To drain the pasta (remember to save that pasta water first!).
Silicone Spatula: For stirring the cream sauce and ensuring no golden bits are left on the bottom of the pan.
Method
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente. Important: Reserve half a cup of the pasta water before draining.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and cook until they are golden brown and fully cooked through.
Toss the sliced mushrooms into the pan with the chicken. Sauté until the mushrooms have softened and released their moisture.
Pour in the reserved pasta water. Let it simmer and reduce slightly while stirring to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the pan.
Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream and immediately add the curry powder, dried basil, and salt.
Stir constantly for 2–3 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken and turns a beautiful golden yellow.
Add the cooked and drained pasta directly into the pan with the sauce.
Stir everything together for 1 minute so the pasta absorbs the flavors of the creamy curry sauce.
Plate immediately while hot, perhaps with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or extra basil on top.
Add the reserved pasta water slowly to the sauce to reach your desired creamy consistency. For a brighter flavor, garnish with fresh parsley or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.