Riccioli Pasta with Wild Mushroom Sauce & Grilled Chicken
Riccioli pasta, with its tight spirals and springy texture, captures every drop of rich, earthy wild mushroom sauce in this comforting, flavor-packed dish. I love how the sauce clings to every curl of the pasta, bringing deep umami and savory complexity to each bite.
A medley of wild mushrooms—shiitake, cremini, and oyster—simmers with garlic, shallots, white wine, and a splash of cream to create a silky, aromatic base. Grilled chicken adds a smoky counterpoint and hearty protein that makes the meal satisfying without feeling heavy.
I often make this when I want something that feels rustic and indulgent, yet easy enough to pull together on a weeknight. It’s ideal for fall and winter evenings, when mushrooms are at their peak and you want something warm and grounding.
The riccioli’s shape holds up beautifully to the sauce, and if you’re cooking for a crowd or prepping ahead, the components can be made in advance and quickly assembled. Pair it with a crisp white wine and a green salad for a well-rounded, elegant dinner.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process for making the mushroom sauce, grilling the chicken, and finishing this cozy, restaurant-worthy pasta dish at home.
Pasta with Wild Mushroom Sauce and Grilled Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Riccioli pasta or some other spirally pasta like fusili
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 small onions peeled and finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and finely diced
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms mix sliced thin
- 1 cup demi glace
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup sour cream or 1/2 cup half and half
For the Chicken
- 8 chicken tenders or 2 to 3 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt & pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and prepare your outdoor grill, depending on whether it is gas or charcoal. You know your grill and how long it takes to get hot.
- The sauce takes about 20 minutes to prep and cook, so time your pasta-making and chicken grilling accordingly. The chicken takes approximately 10 minutes to cook, as does the pasta.
Preparing the sauce
- In a large saucepan, heat up the olive oil until hot. Add the onions and cook until translucent over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.
- Deglaze the pan with the wine and let it cook down for a minute or two. I like to add the mushrooms at this point. They will release some water, and the wine and water will continue cooking until nothing is left.
- Add the demi-glace and season with salt and pepper. Let this cook to desired thickness. Reduce heat to medium-low and then add the sour cream. Stir to incorporate and cook for a minute or two to heat through.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Drain the pasta and get everything ready to plate.
Plating the dish
- Add some pasta to a bowl or plate, top with a few spoonfuls of mushroom sauce, and top with the grilled chicken that can be left whole or sliced.
Notes
Riccioli Pasta
Riccioli pasta is a distinctive Italian pasta shape known for its tight, corkscrew-like spirals. The name “riccioli” actually means “curls” or “ringlets” in Italian, perfectly describing its twisted form. These spirals create a wonderful texture that’s both firm and springy when cooked al dente, making riccioli excellent at holding onto sauces.
Because of its curly shape, riccioli is especially great for thick or chunky sauces—like creamy mushroom sauces, ragùs, or vegetable-based dressings—since the grooves trap and cling to every bit of flavor. It’s similar to other spiral pastas like fusilli or rotini but tends to have tighter curls, giving it a unique mouthfeel.
Riccioli is versatile and works well in baked pasta dishes, cold pasta salads, or simply tossed with olive oil and fresh herbs. It’s a fun shape that adds visual interest and texture to any meal, making it a favorite among pasta lovers who appreciate both taste and presentation. If you’re looking to elevate your pasta experience beyond traditional shapes like spaghetti or penne, riccioli is a fantastic choice.
Cream Sauce
I planned to make a rich cream sauce, but didn’t have any cream or half-and-half in the house. Instead, I used some tangy sour cream I had on hand to add creaminess and a subtle depth of flavor.
At first, I worried the sauce might turn into a stroganoff with its signature tang and richness, but the sour cream blended smoothly without overpowering the mushrooms or pasta. It gave the sauce a lovely silky texture and a slight brightness that balanced the earthiness of the wild mushrooms perfectly.
Using sour cream turned out to be a happy accident that added a unique twist to the dish, making the sauce both comforting and vibrant. This substitution is a great tip if you find yourself without traditional cream but want to keep your sauce luscious and flavorful.
The recipe also calls for demi-glace, a highly reduced beef stock reduction that requires a time-consuming process to make at home but is commercially available. Read more about demi-glace.
2 Responses
Delicious! Easy! I didn’t make enough sauce though. So next time I will use more deglazing liquid (wine or chicken hbroth). I used 1 tbsp. of Williams and Sonoma’s chicken Demi glacé instead.
need more help with appetizers using mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.