Description
Creamy Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta is a rich and comforting Italian-American dish featuring tender seasoned chicken, fresh garlic, and Parmesan cheese in a silky cream sauce. This easy stovetop recipe combines fettuccine or penne pasta with a luscious blend of heavy cream, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning, creating a restaurant-style dinner that can be made quickly at home.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 oz (340 g) fettuccine or penne
Chicken
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine or penne according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Season Chicken: In a bowl, season the sliced chicken breasts with paprika, salt, and black pepper ensuring each piece is evenly coated.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken slices and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare Sauce Base: In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to incorporate rich flavors into the sauce.
- Simmer Sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add Cheese: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts smoothly and creates a creamy sauce. Avoid boiling vigorously to prevent curdling.
- Combine Pasta and Chicken: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and add the drained pasta. Toss everything together carefully, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your preferred consistency.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley and optional red pepper flakes over the dish before serving for a fresh herbal note and mild heat.
Notes
- For extra vegetables, add spinach, broccoli, or mushrooms into the skillet along with the garlic for a nutritious boost.
- Substitute half-and-half for heavy cream for a lighter, slightly less rich sauce.
- Avoid boiling the cream sauce aggressively after adding Parmesan to maintain a smooth texture without curdling.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese rather than pre-shredded for better melting and richer flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
