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This Creamy Red Wine Chicken Pasta is the perfect way to kickstart fall - this red wine pasta sauce full of flavorful thyme and seasonal mushrooms incorporates all those cosy fall feelings and flavors all at once.
A few weeks ago, despite the summer heat still suffocating all of Stockholm, I started craving pasta. Like, seriously craving it. And not just a light, easy-breezy-sorta-summery pasta vongole or the like - but a full on heavy, creamy, sumptuous dish of pasta. Along with this pasta craving came another one, one reserved for most times of the year apart from 30 C summer days and one that goes excellently with pasta: red wine. Enter: the experiment of the red wine pasta sauce.
Unlike most experiments, this one actually turned out amazing the first time. I've since made it about four times and it actually turned out great each and every time, so now I feel ready to share it with you guys as well. I'm quite sure you will end up making this creamy red wine chicken pasta over and over again as well. It's definitely one of my new favorites at least!
You'll notice that the ratio of chicken and mushrooms to pasta in this recipe is quite high - if you want to you can, of course, add more pasta and it will serve more people. I, however, like having more of the good stuff and less pasta (not that pasta isn't good stuff, but never mind) - you do you, this recipe could probably hold double the amount of pasta if you like - maybe just add another deciliter of red wine, 1.5 dl more cream and another deciliter of pasta water and you should be fine.
I made basically the same recipe each time I tried this, but the finishing touch was adding some chanterelles this last time, as we're coming into chanterelle season here in Sweden and they're now at least somewhat reasonably priced. They do make it a bit extra, but honestly, the recipe isn't that dependant on them so if you have trouble finding them or you wanna keep it a bit on the cheaper side - just skip them. I used both chanterelles and white button mushrooms, but it would probably be even tastier with some Porcini or autumn chanterelles added to the mix. Use whatever's seasonal and reasonable!
Depending on the water percentage of your mushrooms it might be a good idea to cook away the water before adding them to the butter and onion. Otherwise, you might end up with far too much water in the sauce. I did this with the mushrooms for this recipe but since we had such a dry summer they really didn't need it.
I also suggest cooking the chicken until it's finished or almost finished in a separate pan. This way you can add it to the sauce at the very end and will not end up with dry and tough chicken. It will probably release a lot of water in the pan - lucky you!! Don't throw this away - add it to the sauce together with the chicken, it adds a lot of extra flavor. Also, letting the chicken cook in the water it releases (as opposed to pouring it off) actually seems to make the chicken extra tender and juicy.
For this recipe (and a lot of my other recipes) I keep the garlic cloves in one piece, but slightly crush them using the side of the knife. This allows you to infuse the dish with some garlic flavor without it getting to be too overpowering, and without having to worry as much about garlic breath after. Just remember how many garlic cloves you put in and remember to remove them before serving.
You can of course replace the fresh thyme with dried if you want to, but what I like about using fresh thyme is that this allows me to pick it out at the end together with the garlic. I love the flavor, but I hate the sprigs, so if you do too this is the way to go. If you want to pretty it up you can always add some fresh (and easily removable...) sprigs on top when serving.
However nice the ingredients mentioned above may be, the secret to this recipe is actually the finishing touch: Parmesan. Instead of adding it over the finished dish, it's added to the sauce and mixed in well. Just do it. You are allowed to add extra at the end as well, of course. Who am I to tell you not to add excessive amounts of cheese? (And what is really an "excessive" amount of cheese? Is there even such a thing?)
Oh, and as always with pasta sauces - cook the pasta just a minute short of finished, and let it finish cooking in the sauce together with some pasta water. Makes all the difference.
I hope you'll enjoy this Creamy Red Wine Chicken Pasta just as much as I have - and don't forget to share it if you do, and please tag me @alwaysusebutter! Did you try it? Please leave a rating below!
Creamy Red Wine Pasta Sauce with Chicken & Mushrooms
Print RateIngredients
- 4 Tbsp butter divided, more if needed
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves in one piece but slightly crushed
- 10 white button mushrooms chopped
- 500 g chicken thigh filets cut in bite-size pieces
- 2 dl red wine
- 2 Tbsp concentrated mushroom stock
- 20 fresh thyme sprigs + more to serve
- 2.5 dl cream
- 250 g fresh tagliatelle
- 2 dl pasta water
- 1 dl grated parmesan + more to serve
Instructions
- Heat a pan, large enough to hold all the sauce and pasta, over medium heat. Add half of the butter, chopped onion and garlic cloves. Let cook for a few minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the second half of the butter and allow to melt, then add the mushrooms. Let cook for a few minutes. If the mushrooms start to look dry, add more butter.
- Push the mushrooms to one side of the pan and add the chicken on the other side. Cook separately until it's got some color on all sides, then mix it up with the mushrooms.
- Raise the temperature to medium-high, pour in the red wine, and cook for 2 minutes until about half of the wine has evaporated.
- Add concentrated mushroom stock, thyme sprigs and cream. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature to medium again. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Cook it 1 minutes less than stated on the package. Then drain and reserve some of the pasta water.
- When the sauce is done, use kitchen forceps or a fork to remove the garlic cloves and thyme sprigs. Then add the pasta together with the pasta water. Mix, bring back to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes, until the pasta is done.
- Mix in the grated parmesan, and serve topped with some fresh thyme & more parmesan.
Equipment needed for this recipe
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Mushrooms - I recommend white button mushrooms or a mix of white button mushrooms and chantarelles
- Red wine - dry and flavorful works best, I prefer a Nebbiolo or Barbera as it pairs so well with the mushrooms and thyme
- Cream - full fat, low fat, or half and half
- Fresh tagliatelle - dry pasta works as well, and any shape
- Chicken thigh filets have more taste than chicken breast filets, but both work
- Concentrated mushroom stock - if you don't have it, add a crumbled bouillon cube together with the wine instead, and make sure it's all mixed up before adding cream
Tips & tricks
- Get just the right amount of garlic flavor by using whole cloves that are just slightly crushed - this gives a subtle garlic taste, and you can easily remove them before serving
- Keep adding butter until the mushrooms are saturated, for the fullest taste
- Use a red wine you really like for the best tasting sauce
- Serve the same wine alongside the pasta for a perfect pairing
- Remove the thyme sprigs and garlic cloves before serving, for a fancy touch
- Don't skip the pasta water it thickens the sauce and helps it coat the pasta
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Monidipa Dutta
I love pasta! I can’t wait to give this recipe a try! It left me drooling..!!
Emmeline
Woho that means I did my job right! 😉 Thank you for commenting & rating!
Sania Ahmed
This is something I never heard about Red wine in Pasta.... I am sure it would taste yummy as it looks.
Emmeline
It sure does 😉 Thank you, Sania!
aisasami
This looks so yummy but I don't think chanterelle are common?
Emmeline
Thank you! I think that depends on where in the world you are, as well as the time of year. We have a lot of them in Sweden in the fall, but not other times. You can substitute them for white button mushrooms, however - super delicious as well!
Blair
I think this could be a hit in our house. It has some of the popular ingredients for us garlic, mushrooms, pasta and chicken.
Emmeline
Thank you Blair! Hope you try it!
Preet
I must try this recipe. It so delicious and look so easy to make and I am sure my husband and my kids will give me a warmer hug because of this dish.
Emmeline
Thank you Preet! It really is a yummy recipe - hope you try it!
Clare Minall
This looks nice and simple to put together but so delicious! Perfect for a midweek pick me up dinner or nice warm comfort food on a weekend.
Emmeline
Thank you Clare! I love treating myself to this together with a glass of red like on a Tuesday - when you really need it!
Sincerely Miss J
This creamy red wine chicken pasta looks tasty . I love mushrooms.
Emmeline
Thank you so much!
April
I love experimenting with sauces when I make pasta at home. And I love it even more when the sauce has thyme flavors. Definitely the recipe I would love to recreate!
Emmeline
Thank you April!
Lydia Smith
I love the proportion you have here. Makes it more meatier😋. Looking delicious and a perfect cheat day meal with lots of chicken.
Emmeline
Thank you Lydia! Yeah I feel like it makes it a bit healthier at least, with lots of good protein - but probably for a cheat day anyday haha 😉
Melanie Frost
I prefer more chicken and mushrooms than pasta. This sounds delicious and so hearty.
Emmeline
Thank you Melanie! Come to think of it, you could probably serve it over rice or cauliflower rice as well - the sauce is so delicious it will make anything work!
Megan Kerry
Great tip about cooking down the mushrooms before adding more flavour:) These flavours go so well together! Great recipe:)
Emmeline
Thank you Megan!
Renata Feyen
I love the ingredients but never tried them in this kind of combination - sounds great 🙂
Emmeline
Thank you Renata!
Natalie
Oh wow this looks really delicious. So creamy and so flavorful. It's definitely something I'm going to try next week. I'm saving this on my weekly menu. It's perfect family weekday dinner.
Emmeline
Thank you Natalie! Let me know how you like it!
Marta
This looks so good! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe 😊
Emmeline
Thank you Marta!
Michael
This I like more. Chicken is life lol Not so much of a pasta person but I think I can finish a plate.
Emmeline
Haha yes chicken is good! Thanks for commenting, Michael!
Lyosha
I don't know why but lately my body is craving for some more pasta than usual. I don't really resist. Your chicken pasta sounds super tempting to me. Adding the red wine is nice to me too, I have some at home and I frankly don't know what to use it for
Emmeline
I think that's winter for you 😉 Thank you for commenting, Lyosha!
Marisa F. Stewart
We are always on the search for new and exciting chicken recipes. I love the idea of the red wine instead of white. And really its very clever of you to extend the wild mushrooms with the farm grown. You still get that wild earthy taste plus get plenty of mushrooms. A very satisfying dish during these horrible cold days. A recipe that will bring some sunshine to the dull days.
Emmeline
Thank you so much Marisa! I love red wine so I love being able to add it to food as well! And of course, then it makes for a perfect pairing with a glass of red 😉
Cheese Curd In Paradise
I love the different mushrooms in this pasta! This sauce sounds so tasty and delicious. I can't wait to give this recipe a try.
Emmeline
Thank you so much! It really is a yummy sauce. One of my best creations I believe!
Mahy Elamin
Tonights dinner! Definitely a keeper recipe. Will be making again! Delicious!
Emmeline
Thank you Mahy! So happy you liked it!
Claudia Lamascolo
I love trying out new chicken recipes and wine always make it tender and flavorful I am sure to print this one off today thanks
Emmeline
Thank you for commenting Claudia! Hope it turns out great!
Lewis Johnson
This looks pretty yummy
Emmeline
Thank you, Lewis!
Karly
Yum! This dish looks so delicious! Can't wait to try.
Emmeline
Thanks Karly! I hope you try it - it's soo delicious & cosy!