Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Garlic parmesan chicken pasta with juicy seared chicken in a rich garlic parmesan cream sauce. A cozy, garlic-forward one-skillet dinner in 35 minutes.
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Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is for the garlic lovers in the house, and there are several in mine. Juicy seared chicken gets folded into pasta coated in a garlic parmesan cream sauce so rich and savory it barely needs anything else on the plate. A whole head of garlic goes in, mellowed by butter and cream into something warm and nutty instead of sharp.
The secret to a smooth garlic parmesan sauce is treating the garlic and the cheese gently. Garlic burns fast and turns bitter, so it cooks low and slow in butter just until fragrant, never browned. Then the parmesan goes in off the heat, because boiling cheese is what makes a sauce grainy, and stirring it into warm cream instead keeps it silky and clinging.
This one leans on the chicken as the whole point, seared first so it builds flavor in the pan that the sauce picks up later. It comes together in one skillet in about 35 minutes, and a splash of reserved pasta water at the end is the little trick that loosens the sauce so it coats every noodle.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Serious garlic flavor. A whole head of garlic, cooked gently in butter, turns sweet and nutty instead of sharp.
- The chicken is the star. Seared juicy chicken folded through makes this a full dinner, not a side of noodles.
- Rich and clingy. Butter, cream, and a generous amount of parmesan build a sauce that coats every noodle.
- One skillet, weeknight-fast. It’s on the table in about 35 minutes with just one pan to wash.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Ingredients
Grate the parmesan off a block yourself for this one. The pre-shredded bags are coated in starch that keeps them from melting smoothly, and in a sauce this parmesan-forward, that grit shows up fast. Freshly grated melts into a glossy sauce.
- 1 lb fettuccine or penne pasta
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp butter
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Recipe Variations
- Use boneless thighs instead of breasts for even juicier bites; they’ll take a minute or two longer to sear through.
- Stir a couple handfuls of baby spinach into the sauce just before adding the pasta for a little color and greens.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic if you want a gentle warmth against all that richness.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta in well-salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Season and sear the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and it reaches 165°F in the center. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the garlic gently: Reduce the heat to medium-low and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, just until fragrant and soft. Don’t let it brown or it turns bitter.
- Build the cream sauce: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits, then stir in the heavy cream and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Melt in the parmesan: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan, a handful at a time, until the sauce is smooth. Keeping it off a hard boil is what keeps it from turning grainy.
- Combine: Add the drained pasta and seared chicken to the skillet and toss to coat, loosening the sauce with a splash of the reserved pasta water until it clings to every noodle.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with fresh parsley and extra parmesan and serve warm.
Recipe FAQs
Isn’t 8 Cloves of Garlic a Lot?
It’s a lot on purpose, since this is garlic parmesan pasta and garlic is the whole point. Cooked low and slow in butter, it mellows into something sweet and nutty rather than sharp. Use fewer cloves if you prefer it gentler.
Why Did My Parmesan Sauce Turn Grainy?
The cheese was probably added over heat that was too high. Turn the burner to low, add the parmesan a handful at a time, and never let the sauce come to a hard boil after the cheese goes in.
Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Breasts?
Yes, boneless skinless thighs stay a little juicier and work great here. Cut them into similar-sized pieces and give them an extra minute or two to sear through to 165°F.
How Is This Different from a Plain Creamy Garlic Pasta?
The seared chicken is the difference. This is built as a full chicken dinner, with the seared meat providing browned flavor in the pan that the sauce picks up.
Can I Double This, and What Should I Serve with It?
Yes, use your largest skillet and sear the chicken in batches so it browns instead of steaming. A crisp green salad and garlic bread round it out.
Cooking Tips
- Keep the garlic on low heat. Browned garlic turns bitter and there’s nowhere for that to hide in a sauce this garlic-forward, so pull it the moment it smells fragrant.
- Add the parmesan off the boil. A gentle warmth melts it into a glossy sauce, while a rolling boil breaks it into grit.
- Reserve extra pasta water. This sauce thickens quickly as it cools, and that starchy water loosens it back to silky without watering down the flavor.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze: This one’s better fresh. The parmesan cream sauce can separate and turn grainy once thawed, so freezing isn’t recommended.
To reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of cream or broth to loosen the sauce, stirring often. A hard, fast reheat will break it.
How to Serve Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is rich enough to carry the meal, so keep the sides simple: a crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette to cut the richness, and warm garlic bread for the sauce. Roasted broccoli or asparagus is a nice green addition. This is one of the recipes in our Pasta Recipes collection, with more creamy chicken pastas on the way.
Loved This Recipe?
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is a garlic lover’s dinner, built around juicy seared chicken and a rich parmesan cream sauce in one skillet.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
More like this: Same creamy chicken pasta idea, different flavor each night. Pick whichever one sounds good tonight. Try Marry Me Chicken Pasta, Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta, or Creamy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine or penne pasta
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp salt divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp butter
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta in well-salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Season and sear the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and it reaches 165°F in the center. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the garlic gently: Reduce the heat to medium-low and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, just until fragrant and soft. Don’t let it brown or it turns bitter.
- Build the cream sauce: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits, then stir in the heavy cream and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Melt in the parmesan: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan, a handful at a time, until the sauce is smooth. Keeping it off a hard boil is what keeps it from turning grainy.
- Combine: Add the drained pasta and seared chicken to the skillet and toss to coat, loosening the sauce with a splash of the reserved pasta water until it clings to every noodle.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with fresh parsley and extra parmesan and serve warm.
