Description
Creamy, flavorful, and easy-to-make Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Pasta combines tender chicken breasts with a rich garlic-infused Parmesan sauce tossed with perfectly cooked pasta. Ready in under 30 minutes, this comforting and elegant dish is perfect for weeknight dinners, offering a delicious balance of hearty protein and indulgent flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 boneless chicken breasts (evenly sized)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, freshly minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
Pasta
- 8 oz pasta of choice (fettuccine, linguine, penne, or rigatoni)
Garnishes
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic: In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the minced garlic. Sauté gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning and bitterness, until fragrant.
- Create the Parmesan Sauce: Pour the heavy cream into the skillet with the garlic and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Gradually whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until completely melted and smooth, forming a rich, creamy sauce.
- Cook the Pasta: Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about ¼ cup of pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency if needed.
- Combine and Serve: Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce and warming through. Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet. Toss the chicken, pasta, and sauce together until well coated. If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water to loosen it. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Choose fresh garlic and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor.
- Do not overcook the chicken to maintain juiciness and tenderness.
- Use reserved pasta water to help bind and smooth the sauce.
- Let the cooked chicken rest briefly before serving to retain moisture.
- Sauté garlic over medium-low heat to avoid bitterness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
Keywords: Parmesan garlic chicken, creamy chicken pasta, easy chicken dinner, garlic parmesan sauce, weeknight dinner
