Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta (Printable)
Tender chicken and al dente pasta tossed in a silky garlic cream sauce, ready in 35 minutes for weeknight comfort.
# What You 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
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - While pasta cooks, butterfly chicken breasts and season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs if desired.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken breasts until golden brown and fully cooked, approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely, and let rest.
04 - Using the same skillet, reduce to medium heat. Melt butter, then add chopped onion; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
05 - Pour in chicken broth and deglaze skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
06 - Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until sauce is smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
07 - Slice chicken breasts thinly. Add sliced chicken and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss together, incorporating some reserved pasta water as necessary to achieve a creamy consistency.
08 - Stir in chopped parsley and serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together so silkily, you’d think it took twice as long to make—it’s truly a weeknight saver in disguise.
- Once you see someone dig in for seconds, you’ll understand why it gets requested at every dinner I host.
02 -
- Once, I rushed the garlic and accidentally browned it—it turned bitter and forced a last-minute redo.
- Stirring in Parmesan off the heat prevents clumps and gives you that velvet finish every time.
03 -
- Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly—leave it out for 20 minutes before starting.
- Grate your Parmesan finely so it melts in with no clumps (I learned this after a few lumpy batches).