American · main

Creamy Chicken Caesar Pasta Skillet

Creamy Chicken Caesar Pasta Skillet reads umami 6.7, richness 5.9 and salinity 5.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 26 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.7 · Richness 5.9 · Salinity 5.6 · Citrus 4.8 · Sourness 4.6 · Marine & Briny 3.8 · Allium 3.4 · Funk & Ferment 3.3 · Nutty 1.9 · Sweetness 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Smoke 1.1 · Fruity 1.0 · Earthy 0.9 · Bitterness 0.8 · Herbaceous 0.7

What's in it (13)

• shell pasta — 340 g
• unsalted butter — 41 g
• bread crumbs — 237 g
• garlic — 15 g
• anchovy paste — 10 g
• dijon mustard — 15 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 355 g
• heavy cream — 237 g
• parmesan cheese — 142 g
• rotisserie chicken — 710 g
• lemon juice — 30 g
• salt — 5 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 3 g

Time & effort: about 26 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 285.2 kcal, 10.8 g protein, 19.8 g fat, 19.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook 12 oz penne (or rotini) according to package directions until just al dente, about 10-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup panko and 1 minced garlic clove; toast, stirring often, until deeply golden and fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Scrape the panko into a bowl and wipe the skillet clean.
3. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned, about 45 seconds.
4. Whisk in the anchovy paste and Dijon mustard, then pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by about a third, 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the heavy cream and bring back to a gentle simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3-4 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in 1 cup of the parmesan a handful at a time until fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
7. Add the drained pasta and shredded chicken to the skillet. Toss over medium heat until the chicken is heated through and the pasta is glossy with sauce, 2-3 minutes, splashing in reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time if the sauce looks tight.
8. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper; taste and adjust the seasoning.
9. Divide among bowls and top with the toasted garlic panko and the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad — American
• Chicken Shawarma Caesar Salad — Middle Eastern
• Garlic Butter Shrimp with Scallion Fried Rice — Chinese-American
• Lemon Butter Salmon Pasta — Italian-American
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Fra Diavolo — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.