Creamy Asiago Chicken & Asparagus Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken pieces and golden roasted asparagus in a velvety Asiago cream sauce, tossed with linguine for a comforting Italian-American meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12.3 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 12.3 oz linguine

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 bunch asparagus (about 10.6 oz), woody ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Dairy & Cheese

06 - 4.2 oz Asiago cheese, grated (divided: 2.8 oz for pasta, 1.4 oz for asparagus)
07 - 6.8 fl oz heavy cream
08 - 1 oz unsalted butter

→ Pantry

09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
13 - Extra grated Asiago or Parmesan (optional)

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss asparagus pieces with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1.4 oz Asiago cheese. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 10 to 12 minutes until tender and golden at the edges.
02 - While asparagus roasts, cook linguine in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 4 fl oz pasta water, then drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in heavy cream and 2.7 fl oz reserved pasta water while whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in 2.8 oz Asiago cheese until melted and sauce is smooth. Add additional pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
07 - Return cooked chicken to the pan, add cooked linguine, and toss to coat evenly in sauce. Fold in roasted asparagus. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and additional Asiago cheese if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The roasted asparagus gets this incredible golden, crunchy edge while staying tender inside, which sounds simple but honestly transforms the entire dish.
  • You're building the sauce right in the same pan where the chicken cooked, so all those browned bits become part of the flavor story instead of getting washed away.
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant where they charge way too much and somehow justify it.
02 -
  • Whisking the cream and pasta water into the flour-coated pan is absolutely crucial because if you don't whisk constantly, you'll end up with lumps, and no amount of trying to fix it later will give you a truly smooth sauce.
  • The pasta water is more important than it sounds because it has starch in it that helps the sauce cling to the linguine, while regular water just slides off and leaves you with a dry dish.
03 -
  • Reserving pasta water before draining is the single most useful habit you can develop in a home kitchen because that starchy liquid is liquid gold for adjusting sauces.
  • Letting the chicken and vegetables finish cooking in the residual heat and sauce at the end keeps them from drying out while everything melds together beautifully.
Go Back