An amazing pasta sauce made of cream cheese, milk, and parmesan. You can add chicken or bacon along with your favorite vegetable. So quick and easy to make, your whole family will love it.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Servings: 3servings
Calories: 633kcal
Author: Mella
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce
3tbspbutter
3clovesgarlicminced
1cuplow-fat milk
½cupcream cheesesoftened, brick style or spreadable
Heat oil in a pan. Add chicken. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly golden. Transfer to a plate. Set aside.
Add butter and garlic. Cook over medium heat until lightly brown. Immediately add your choice of vegetables if using (see notes). Continue stirring until vegetables are half-cooked.
Lower the heat. Pour in the milk and chicken broth or pasta water. Once it starts simmering, add the cream cheese. Stir until the cheese melts through the sauce. Sprinkle onion powder and continue stirring.
Add the cooked chicken, half of the grated parmesan cheese, parsley, or Italian seasoning, and some black pepper. Stir until smooth and silky.
Add the cooked pasta. Gently toss until well-coated. If it becomes too thick, add more pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Chicken broth - or half chicken bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup pasta water.
Pasta water - reserve 2 cups liquid after the pasta is cooked.
Protein - use bacon or shrimp instead of chicken.
If using bacon, fry it in the same pan but remove or wipe out the grease after.
If using shrimp, use the frozen pack for convenience. Submerge it in water for 10 minutes to quickly defrost. Drain well before stir-frying. Cook it for 1 to 2 minutes then remove it from the pan. Add it back to the sauce just before the pasta.
Other vegetable variations: broccoli, green peas, white and brown button mushrooms, portobello mushroom, and yellow bell pepper. All are mild-tasting vegetables that won't overpower the buttery flavor of the sauce.
Freshly grated parmesan is always recommended as it melts easily in the sauce. If using the jarred type, use the finely grated one for a smoother sauce.
Nutrition: pasta is included in the calculation.
Course :Main Course
Cuisine :American-Western, Western
Keyword :cream cheese pasta sauce, white sauce pasta