My sour cream pasta sauce is the perfect comfort-food dinner for busy weeknights. Tender pasta is tossed with juicy chicken, wilted spinach, mozzarella cheese, and a silky sour cream sauce that's seasoned with garlic, smoked paprika, and Italian herbs. Using pre-cooked chicken, it's the kind of meal that tastes like it was simmered all day, but it's ready in about 30 minutes!
Quick Look: Sour Cream Pasta
- ⏱ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 30 minutes
- 🍲 Servings: 4 Bowls
- ⚡ Calories: 606 calories per serving
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: Rich, creamy, and meaty, with a slight tang from the sour cream.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy - Quick prep and ready in just 30 minutes!
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When you want a main dish that's ready quickly but tastes like it took all day, this creamy pasta sauce with sour cream and chicken is the way to go. Paired with breadsticks and a simple citrus arugula salad, it's a full meal ready in just about 30 minutes. It's the perfect family meal for busy weeknights.
If you love a deliciously simple and creamy recipe like this, be sure to try my creamy bolognese, prawn chorizo pasta, or chicken garlic Parmesan pasta for more easy weeknight inspiration.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Rich and Creamy: Rich, creamy sauce made with simple pantry ingredients.
- Quick and Easy: A pasta recipe ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Hearty: Loaded with tender chicken and fresh spinach.
- The Perfect Weeknight Meal: Family-friendly and perfect for busy weeknights.
- Customizable: Easily customized with your favorite vegetables or protein.
- Packed with Protein: Made with chicken or your choice of meat so it's loaded with protein.
- Versatile: Perfect for family dinners or parties.
- Great Leftovers: Leftovers are so good the next day!
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact quantities.
- Cooked Chicken: I used Springer Mountain Farms fully-cooked grilled chicken breast slices. They're delicious and save time. They're also certified humane and never use antibiotics, hormones, or animal by-products in their feed.
- Sour Cream: The key to the creamy sauce. It gives the dish a rich texture with a slight tang that keeps it from feeling too heavy.
- Chicken Stock: Builds flavor in the sauce and helps create a silky consistency.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Melts into the sauce, adding cheesy, gooey goodness and making it extra creamy.
- Baby Spinach: Create a savory, aromatic base that adds plenty of depth to the sauce.
- Seasonings: A blend of sweet smoked paprika and Italian seasonings adds warm, smoky, herby flavor that brings the entire dish together.
Flavor Variations
- Swap the Protein: Replace the chicken with cooked turkey, shrimp, or Italian sausage.
- Use Rotisserie Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is pre-cooked, easy to shred, and adds extra flavor, thanks to its seasoning.
- Add Veggies: Add mushrooms, broccoli, peas, or roasted red peppers.
- Marry Me Pasta: Add sun-dried tomatoes for a Marry Me pasta version.
- Swap the Cheese: Use Monterey Jack, white cheddar, or Parmesan instead of mozzarella.
- Make It Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes if you enjoy a little heat.
- Swap the Greens: Replace spinach with kale or baby arugula.
- Make It Dairy Free: Use plant-based sour cream and mozzarella cheese for a dair free version.
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"This is going to be a permanent fixture in my rotation. The entire family loved it, and I loved getting in and out of the kitchen so fast!"
- Regina
How to Make Sour Cream Pasta with Chicken
Step 1: Cook the pasta al dente. Then, drain and reserve ¼ cup of pasta water. Whisk the sour cream, flour, and a bit of chicken broth until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2: Saute the minced garlic and shallots in butter until fragrant. Then, add the seasoning and spinach and cook until wilted.
Step 3: Add the remaining chicken broth and the sour cream mixture.
Step 4: Cook until thickened and creamy. Then, mix in the mozzarella until smooth.
Step 5: Add the chicken and stir until heated through. Then, fold in the pasta. Add a bit of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
Step 6: Serve immediately with your favorite veggies sides or salad!
Expert Tips
- Room Temperature Sour Cream: Bring the sour cream close to room temperature before adding it to the sauce.
- Whisk Thoroughly: Whisk the flour thoroughly into the sour cream to prevent lumps.
- Al Dente Pasta is Key: Cook the pasta just until al dente since it will continue cooking slightly in the sauce.
- Always Reserve Some Pasta Water: Reserve pasta water to easily adjust the consistency.
- Use Freshly Shredded Mozzarella if Possible: Freshly shredded mozzarella melts much smoother than packaged shredded cheese.
Sour Cream Pasta FAQs
Not if it's prepared properly. Whisk the sour cream with the flour and a little chicken broth before adding it to the skillet, and cook the sauce over medium heat without letting it boil.
Penne, rigatoni, rotini, bow tie, cavatappi, and fettuccine are all excellent choices because they hold the creamy sauce well.
This pasta is easy to customize with vegetables like mushrooms, broccoli, peas, roasted red peppers, zucchini, kale, or sun-dried tomatoes.
Monterey Jack, Parmesan, white cheddar, provolone, or an Italian cheese blend all melt well and complement a creamy sauce.
Store leftover sour cream pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing isn't recommended because sour cream-based sauces can separate and become grainy after thawing.
Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of chicken broth or milk to restore the creamy consistency.
📖 Recipe
Sour Cream Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz gluten free penne
- 1 ½ cups chicken breast slices
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon gluten free flour
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup dry shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup mossarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Then, drain and set aside, reserving ¼ cup pasta water to adjust the sauce if necessary.
- Whisk the sour gream, flour, and ¼ cup chicken broth until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Saute the minced garlic and shallots in butter over medium heat in a large pan for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the garlic powder, sweet smoked paprika, Italian seasonig, salt, and pepper. Then, add the spinach and cook for a minute until the spinach wilts.
- Mix in the remaining chicken broth.
- Mix in the sour cream mixture and cook for 1 to 3 minutes until thickened.
- Add the mozzarella cheese and stir until creamy.
- Stir in the chicken and cook until heated through. Then, fold in the pasta and enjoy!
Notes
- Bring the sour cream close to room temperature before adding it to the sauce.
- Whisk the flour thoroughly into the sour cream to prevent lumps.
- Cook the pasta just until al dente since it will continue cooking slightly in the sauce.
- Reserve pasta water to easily adjust the consistency.
- Freshly shredded mozzarella melts much smoother than packaged shredded cheese.
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