I love recipes like this Chicken Boscaiola Pasta because they look and taste like restaurant food, but the process is very straightforward. It’s built from things most of us already keep around: chicken, bacon, mushrooms, cream, pasta. Nothing fancy, but when you treat each ingredient properly, you get a sauce that feels rich and comforting without a lot of effort.
I first leaned on this dish on nights when I wanted something satisfying but didn’t feel like juggling multiple pots and side dishes. Everything happens in one pan plus a pot of pasta water, which keeps both the cleanup and the stress low. The chicken gets a quick paprika rub, the bacon brings smokiness, and the mushrooms soak up all the flavor. From there, cream and pasta water do the heavy lifting for the sauce.
This version is also budget-friendly if you shop smart. Use whatever pasta is on sale, swap in basic button mushrooms, and stretch two chicken breasts to feed four people by slicing them into strips. Leftovers reheat well with a splash of water or cream, so you can treat it as a cook-once, eat-twice situation instead of starting from zero the next day.
What I like most is how flexible it is. You can adjust the richness, use different pasta shapes, or fold in leftovers from the fridge without breaking the recipe. If you’re trying to cook more at home, this is a reliable one to keep in rotation: simple steps, familiar ingredients, and a big payoff in flavor.
Easy & Delicious: Chicken Boscaiola Pasta
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What to Prepare
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally into 4 thinner steaks
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper, divided
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200 g (7 oz) streaky bacon, cut into wide strips
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 400 g (14 oz) fettuccine (or any pasta you have)
- 200 g (7 oz) Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced (or white/button mushrooms)
- 300 ml (10 1/2 fl oz) thickened (heavy) cream
- 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder (bouillon)
- 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
- 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving
Your Step Guide
- Season the chicken on both sides with the paprika, sea salt and about half of the cracked black pepper. Gently rub it in so the coating is even.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 6–8 minutes total, turning once. The pieces should be golden on the outside and just cooked through in the centre. Don’t crank the heat too high or the outside will burn before the inside is done.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a board, let it rest for a couple of minutes, then slice into thin strips. Set aside; you’ll add it back at the end.
- In the same pan, add the bacon strips. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until they’re starting to crisp and release their fat. If there’s a lot of fat in the pan, use a spoon to scoop some out, leaving just a thin layer to keep everything flavorful but not greasy.
- Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, stir in the diced onion and chopped garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until the onion softens and turns translucent. Avoid browning the garlic, or it can turn bitter.
- While the onion cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the packet directions, but stop about 1 minute before it reaches al dente. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Ladle out and reserve 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta well.
- Back to the pan with the bacon and onions: add the sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes until they soften and release their juices. They should shrink slightly and take on some color.
- Pour in the thickened cream and the reserved pasta water. Add the chicken stock powder and the remaining black pepper. Stir and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens but is still loose enough to coat the pasta.
- Turn off the heat. Add the grated parmesan, stirring until it melts into the sauce. The sauce should look smooth and glossy, not clumpy—if it’s too thick, loosen it with a splash of hot water.
- Add the drained pasta and the sliced chicken to the pan. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated and the chicken is warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra parmesan and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Pro Tips for Silky, Glossy Sauce
For a really smooth Chicken Boscaiola Pasta, pay attention to the order and temperature. Always take the pan off the direct heat before adding parmesan; high heat makes cheese seize and go grainy. The reserved pasta water is your best friend here—it contains starch that helps bind everything together. Start with the 1/2 cup listed, then add an extra splash at the end if the sauce feels too thick. Also, avoid boiling the sauce once the cheese is in; a gentle heat keeps it creamy and stable. Toss the pasta in the sauce for at least a minute so it absorbs flavor instead of just sitting in a puddle on the plate.
What Is A Boscaiola Sauce?
Boscaiola is an Italian-style sauce that’s all about simple, earthy ingredients. The name is linked to “boscaiolo,” or woodcutter, so it traditionally leans on mushrooms, cured pork like pancetta or bacon, and a creamy or wine-based base. In this chicken boscaiola pasta, you get smoky bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and a cream-and-parmesan sauce that clings to the noodles. Some regional versions skip the cream and rely more on olive oil, white wine, or tomatoes, but this creamy style has become popular because it’s comforting and easy to pull off with supermarket staples.
Different Types Of Mushrooms
You don’t need specialty mushrooms for this recipe; standard supermarket options work very well. Swiss brown mushrooms bring a deeper, slightly nuttier flavor and hold their shape nicely in the sauce. White or button mushrooms are usually cheaper and milder, which is great if you’re cooking for kids or picky eaters. If you have a mix—like a few leftover cremini or even some sliced portobello—use them up rather than letting them sit in the fridge. Just aim for similar slice sizes so they cook evenly. Cook them long enough to release moisture and lightly brown; that’s where the flavor develops.
Your Questions Answered
Can I make this Chicken Boscaiola Pasta ahead of time?
You can cook the components in advance, but it’s best to combine everything close to serving. Cook the chicken, bacon, and mushroom-cream sauce, then cool and refrigerate them together for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to eat, cook fresh pasta, reheat the sauce gently with a splash of water or cream, then toss in the hot pasta and parmesan. Avoid boiling the reheated sauce hard, or it may split.
How can I lighten this recipe without losing too much flavor?
To make a lighter version, you can swap part of the cream for whole milk or evaporated milk and use a bit more pasta water for body. Add the lighter dairy off the heat to reduce the risk of curdling. Using leaner bacon or reducing the amount also helps. You can increase the mushrooms to bulk out the dish and still feel satisfied. Taste and season generously with salt, pepper, and parmesan so the flavor stays balanced even with less fat.
Why is my sauce too thin or too thick, and how do I fix it?
If the sauce is too thin, let it simmer gently before adding the parmesan until it slightly reduces; the starch in the pasta water will help it thicken. Once the cheese is in, keep the heat low. If it’s still loose after tossing with the pasta, cook everything together for 1–2 minutes more. For a sauce that’s too thick or clumpy, add hot pasta water a spoonful at a time, stirring until it smooths out. Often, just loosening it gradually while tossing will bring it back to a glossy, pourable consistency.
Chicken Boscaiola Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half horizontally to make 4 thinner steaks
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 200 g (7 oz) streaky bacon cut into wide strips
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
- 400 g (14 oz) fettuccine or pasta of your choice
- 200 g (7 oz) Swiss brown mushrooms sliced (or white/button mushrooms)
- 300 ml (10½ fl oz) thickened (heavy) cream
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken stock powder (bouillon)
- 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Parmesan plus extra to serve
- 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley finely chopped, to serve
- extra grated Parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with sweet paprika, sea salt flakes and half of the cracked black pepper.
- Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 6–8 minutes, turning once, until the exterior is golden and the meat is cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken to a board and slice into thin strips; set aside while you finish the sauce.
- Using the same pan, add the bacon and fry for roughly 2 minutes or until it becomes crisp. If there’s excess fat, spoon some out, leaving enough to flavor the sauce.
- Stir in the butter; once melted, add the diced onion and chopped garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes until the onion softens.
- While the sauce builds, boil the fettuccine according to the package directions but stop 1 minute earlier than stated so it finishes cooking in the sauce. Before draining, ladle out 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the pasta cooking water and set aside.
- Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan with the bacon and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until they soften and release their juices.
- Pour in the thickened cream, add the reserved pasta water, sprinkle in the chicken stock powder and the remaining cracked black pepper. Simmer for about 2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Take the pan off the heat, stir through the grated Parmesan, then add the drained pasta and sliced chicken. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated and the chicken is warmed through.
- Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
