Creamy Peppercorn Chicken Pasta

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5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Calories: 963kcal

Servings: People

Metric - Imperial

Ingredients

5 ml Olive Oil
28 g Unsalted Butter
2 Chicken Breast Halved
6 g Onion Powder
6 g Garlic Powder
1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Diced
35 g Green Peppercorns Drained
4 Garlic Cloves Minced
60 ml Dry White Wine
375 ml Thickened Cream
450 g Pappardelle or Fettuccine Pasta
5 g Flat Leaf Parsley Chopped
Salt & Pepper To Taste
Flat Leaf Parsley Garnish
Parmigiano Reggiano Grated

Method

Butterfly the chicken breasts to open them up and slice each breast in half to create 4 fillets. Place them in a mixing bowl, add the onion powder, garlic powder, olive oil and seasoning to taste. Mix well to combine.
Place a saucepan of water over high heat, bring to a boil, season generously with sea salt flakes, and cook the pasta as per your packet instructions.
Place a large pan over high heat, add the clarified butter and allow it to melt. Add the seasoned chicken breasts (in batches) and sear for 3 minutes on both sides, or until cooked through and reaching an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Remove and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into thin strips. Cover and keep warm.
In the same pan, add the diced onion and drained green peppercorns, and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until lightly golden and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 45 seconds, stirring the whole time.
Add the wine or chicken stock, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring frequently, until it reduces by half. Add the cream and seasoning to taste, mix well, bring to a heavy simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 6-7 minutes or until reduced and thickened.
Place the sliced chicken into the sauce along with any resting juices. Transfer the cooked pasta straight from the pot into the sauce, reserving some pasta water if you wish to thin the sauce down. Add the flat-leaf parsley and mix well to combine. Serve in bowls and garnish with extra flat-leaf parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano (optional).

Chef's Tips

Rest the chicken for the full 5-10 minutes before slicing — cutting into it too early lets the juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.

Reduce the wine or stock by half before adding the cream — this concentrates the flavour first, so the sauce doesn't taste thin once the cream goes in.

Add the pasta straight from the pot with a little of its starchy cooking water still clinging to it — that starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles instead of splitting or pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

Storage & Reheating

Will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Not recommended for freezing — the cream sauce will split and turn grainy once thawed. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of milk or cream to loosen the sauce, stirring frequently; avoid high heat, which can cause the sauce to separate.

Serving 400gCalories 963kcalCarbohydrates 93gProtein 43gFat 44.8gSaturated Fat 26.8gPolyunsaturated Fat 1.99gMonounsaturated Fat 4.16gTrans Fat 2.4gCholesterol 98.5mgSodium 162.8mgPotassium 749.8mgFiber 4.6gSugar 7.1gVitamin A 232.57IUVitamin C 13.07mgCalcium 55.2mgIron 4.6mg