Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Crunch Pasta

Golden fried chicken bites meet tender pasta in a luscious cream of mushroom and onion sauce—with a few secret upgrades to take it over the top.

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The Story:

    A friend of mine passively mentions his struggle dish which I thought was unbelievable. It was simply popcorn chicken tossed into cream of mushroom soup. I was blown away by this... and then decided I had to do it up even harder. It wasn't a struggle meal in the end, but I struggled to find the right balance of ingredients to create the perfect version of this dish!

Ingredients (Serves 4):

For the pasta + sauce:

• 8 oz pasta (rotini, penne, or shells work great)

• 1 tbsp olive oil or butter

• ½ medium yellow onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

• ½ cup milk (or half-and-half for extra richness)

• can of sliced mushrooms (or fresh if you prefer)

• 1 small onion, diced or sliced

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ¼ tsp dried thyme or Italian seasoning

• Optional: a handful of baby spinach or peas (for a little green pop)

For the crispy chicken:

• 2 boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

• Salt & pepper to taste

• ½ cup flour

• 1 egg, beaten

• ¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz/crackers

• Oil for frying (or air fryer friendly)

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Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta:
   Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Crisp the chicken:

   • Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

   • Dredge: coat in flour, dip in egg, then coat in breadcrumbs.

   • Pan-fry in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through (~3–4 mins per side), or air fry at 400°F for 10–12 minutes until crispy. Set aside.

3. Make the sauce:

   • In a skillet, sauté onion in olive oil or butter until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

   • Stir in the cream of mushroom, milk, pepper, and herbs. Simmer on low 3–4 minutes.

   • Add Parmesan and Dijon (if using), stir until smooth. Add optional spinach/peas if using and let wilt.

   • Toss in cooked pasta and stir to coat.

4. Serve it up:
   Plate the creamy pasta and top with crispy chicken bites. Finish with more Parmesan, cracked pepper, and maybe a pinch of parsley or paprika for color.

Estimated Nutrition – Per Serving (1/4 of total recipe):

• Calories: ~670 kcal

• Protein: ~34g

• Fat: ~32g

  • Saturated Fat: ~9g

• Carbohydrates: ~60g

  • Sugars: ~5g

  • Fiber: ~3g

• Sodium: ~950mg

• Cholesterol: ~130mg