Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta (Printable)
Tender chicken and pasta in a silky garlic-Parmesan cream sauce, ready in about 35 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
→ Pasta
02 - 12 ounces fettuccine or linguine
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
→ Dairy
06 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine or linguine according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - While the pasta cooks, butterfly the chicken breasts and season both sides with salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs if desired.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover loosely, and let rest.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add unsalted butter. Sauté chopped onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
05 - Deglaze the skillet with chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
06 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
07 - Slice the rested chicken breasts thinly. Return chicken and cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together, adding a splash of reserved pasta water to adjust consistency if necessary.
08 - Stir in chopped parsley. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Youll feel like a restaurant chef with surprisingly little effort thanks to the velvety garlic cream sauce.
- This dish won over my picky eaters and rescued many last-minute dinner crises.
02 -
- If you rush the sear, the chicken loses that glorious golden crust and turns bland—give it time to brown.
- Adding a splash of reserved pasta water saved my sauce from breaking when I first tried it; don't skip this trick.
03 -
- Let the pasta finish cooking its last minute in the pan with the sauce for maximum flavor absorption.
- Use freshly grated—not pre-shredded—Parmesan, so your sauce stays perfectly smooth and never gritty.