Why This Recipe Works
- Golden sear: Locks in juices and develops deep flavor.
- Shallots & garlic: Create a fragrant, savory base for the sauce.
- Creamy Romano sauce: Adds richness and a silky texture.
- Green onions: Brighten the dish with fresh, savory notes.
- One-pan cooking: Combines flavor and simplicity, minimizing cleanup.
Tender chicken meets crisp green onions in a creamy, savory sauce that clings to every strand of linguine. This dish balances comfort and elegance, transforming everyday ingredients into a weeknight meal that feels effortlessly gourmet.
You start by seasoning and searing chicken breasts until golden, locking in juices and flavor. Next, you sauté green onions, releasing their aromatic sweetness to infuse the sauce. A mix of cream and chicken stock forms a rich base, subtly seasoned to create depth and balance.
Finally, you toss the sauce with freshly cooked linguine, ensuring each bite carries the full essence of the dish. Serve warm, sprinkle extra green onions or a touch of Parmesan, and enjoy a meal that satisfies with bold flavor, creamy texture, and bright, fresh notes.
Green Onion Chicken with Linguine Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 shallots finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup light cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
- 1 bunch green onions sliced thin, both white and green parts
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustardd optional, for a subtle tang
- ½ teaspoon paprika optional, for warmth and color
- 1 tablespoon olive oil optional, for searing if chicken is thick
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels.
- Season generously with salt, pepper, and paprika.
Sear the Chicken
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter (or combine with olive oil).
- Add chicken breasts and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. They don’t need to be cooked through yet.
- Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Saute Aromatics
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet.
- Sauté shallots and garlic until fragrant and translucent, about 2–3 minutes.
Deglaze and Build the Sauce
- Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.
- Stir in Dijon mustard (if using). Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes to slightly reduce.
- Lower the heat and stir in the light cream.
Add Cheese and Green Onions
- Slowly add the Romano cheese, stirring until melted and smooth.
- Add half of the sliced green onions (reserve the rest for garnish).
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Finish Cooking the Chicken
- Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon some sauce over the top.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 8–10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Serve
- Plate the chicken and spoon the creamy green onion sauce over each piece.
- Garnish with remaining green onions for freshness and a pop of color.
8 Responses
Mmmmm. Thank you for your sharing this great recipe, along with your tips and photos. I’m a pretty boring (and lazy) cook – I grew up on a ranch where we ate steak & potatoes nearly every night – and this seems approachable to me! Downside – after seeing your pics, I’m starving & it’s only 1:30 in the afternoon. [sigh]
Hi Patricia, you are very welcome and I’m hoping we see more recipes from Marlee as she experiments with her cooking. For your information, I had to go eat something after posting this recipe. – RG
What a beautiful and delicious looking meal! I am saving this one to try the next time that I have guests. My husband is already thanking you! Have a great weekend,
Candace
Thanks Candace and let me know how it turns out for you – RG
This recipe looks delicious! Definitely a crowd pleaser, thanks for sharing this Marlee. I really like how you also shared with us what you would have done differently. Great tips.
Hi Grace, thanks for your comments. I’ll be sure to tell Marlee. Give it a try sometime and let us know your results. – RG
I just found your Blog and I love it! I can’t wait to try Marlee’s recipe since I’m always looking for a good chicken and pasta recipe.I just have one question about it though….What is light cream? I have seen both whipping cream or heavy whipping cream but I can find any thing that says light cream. Help!
Hi Rene, a lot of folks outside the US ask me about half and half but this is the first time I’ve been asked to explain light cream. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Light cream, also called coffee or table cream, contains about 18% to 30% butterfat but is usually around 20%. It is not for whipping. Half and Half is typically 10% to 18% butterfat, whipping cream is 30% to 36% butterfat and heavy whipping cream is 36% or more. You can usually find all these creams in your local supermarket. – RG
We too have made this recipe numerous times since it first appeared in the June 1989 issue of Bon Appetit. It is easy to make and is an elegant entree for entertaining or just to put something different on the dinner table. Marlee’s observation of salting and peppering the chicken prior to sauteing is spot-on. My experience is that the chicken is juicier if it is sauteed whole then sliced as in the original recipe as opposed to sauteing sliced pieces of chicken. I have also used 8oz of whipping cream and 8oz of light cream in the sauce instead of 16 oz of whipping cream with the same results.
Hello I seen your receipt an I’m going to try it I make one that’s similar to yours but I add mushrooms and use heavy whipping cream and either I use low sodium chicken broth or you can use a white wine, and I use penne noodles and of course parmesan cheese thank you
This dish is absolutely delicious… yet I was a little confused. In the list of ingredients you call for:
* 2 large shallots or Scallions (green onions) – minced
And further down…
* 1 bunch Scallions (green onions) – chopped
In the directions, you direct us to “Add shallots, or ‘green onions’ to the skillet you were just cooking the chicken in and stir around for 1 minute.”
Then near the end, you direct us to “Add your freshly grated Romano cheese and ‘green onions’ to the mixture and stir until the cheese melts and everything blends and thickens.”
Which measure of green onions should I have added where?
Thank you,
Robert Brett
Olympia, WA
You are absolutely right Robert. A little confusing. I think Marlee was trying to say if you didn’t have shallots, you could substitute green onions or scallions. I would suggest using shallots. Because this dish is called Green Onion Chicken with Linguine I would go with a bunch of medium sized scallions (green onions) which amounts to about 6 of them. These get added with the Romano cheese.
Not to be more confusing, I might reserve about half of one scallion, mince it finely, and use it to garnish the dish at the end.
Thanks for pointing this out. I’ve made changes to my website.