Description
A comforting and flavorful dish that’s quick to prepare for weeknight dinners, featuring tender chicken and a creamy garlic parmesan sauce over pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 lb twisted pasta (fusilli), or penne/rotini
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 4–5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated preferred)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- Fine salt & black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta until al dente per package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water; then drain the pasta.
- Season & sear chicken. Pat the chicken dry, season with salt, pepper, and ½ tsp Italian seasoning. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbsp of butter and sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until it’s golden and cooked through. Transfer it to a plate, keeping the juices in the pan.
- Build garlic cream base. Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze & simmer. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the browned bits from the pan. Stir in the heavy cream and the remaining ½ tsp of Italian seasoning. Let it simmer gently for 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Melt Parmesan. Reduce the heat to low and gradually sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is velvety smooth.
- Combine. Return the chicken with its juices to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss everything together until evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, stir in small splashes of the reserved pasta water until the sauce is glossy and clings to the pasta.
- Finish & serve. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
For extra nutrients, consider adding vegetables like spinach or broccoli during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
Keywords: pasta, chicken, garlic, creamy, parmesan