Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Printable)
Juicy chicken and al dente pasta cloaked in a velvety garlic-Parmesan cream sauce. Ready in just 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb), sliced into strips
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz fettuccine or penne pasta
→ Dairy
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/2 cup whole milk
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
→ Pantry Staples
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the fettuccine or penne according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Set the drained pasta aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, season the chicken strips generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
03 - Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the unsalted butter and allow it to melt, then add the minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden — do not let it brown.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and whole milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer — do not allow it to reach a full boil. Gradually whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a handful at a time, until fully melted and the sauce is smooth and velvety.
05 - Add the drained pasta and seared chicken to the skillet, tossing with tongs to coat everything evenly in the sauce. Pour in the reserved pasta water a splash at a time, tossing between additions, until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
06 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with the chopped fresh parsley and toss gently one final time. Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with additional shaved Parmesan and a scattering of fresh parsley leaves.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in the same pan you cooked the chicken in, which means every golden bit of flavor gets swept right into the cream.
- It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but happens to be nearly impossible to mess up on a weeknight.
02 -
- If the sauce looks broken or grainy, take the pan off the heat immediately and whisk in a splash of pasta water to bring it back together.
- Adding the Parmesan off heat or in one giant clump will cause it to clump and separate instead of melting into a smooth sauce.
03 -
- Always reserve more pasta water than you think you need because you cannot get it back once the pasta is drained and the starch settles.
- Grate the Parmesan as finely as possible because smaller shreds melt into the cream smoothly while thick shreds leave stringy lumps.