Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta

This Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is a satisfying, restaurant-quality dish that comes together in 40 minutes or less. It's packed with flavor and protein, making it perfect for both special occasions and cozy dinners at home, without spending too much time in the kitchen!

We just love a creamy, cheesy chicken pasta! What's not to love? This one checks all the boxes, and it has over 20 cloves of garlic, and an entire 8-ounce block of parmesan cheese in the sauce! Look, we didn't call it garlic parmesan chicken pasta for nothing, okay?! 😂

We noticed some other recipes online just didn't call for that much of either ingredient. While we're sure those recipes are still delicious, we really wanted a strong flavor of garlic and parmesan, so that's what you're going to get here. With that said, you can always add more or less, to taste! 😉

If you love a creamy chicken pasta dish, be sure to check out our fan-favorite Cajun chicken alfredo, this Marry Me chicken orzo, and this chicken and broccoli pasta bake!

You may also enjoy this chicken bacon mushroom pasta and this chicken and shrimp carbonara! Don't forget this super flavorful and high protein cottage cheese alfredo with chicken!

❤️Why We Love This Recipe

• So flavorful! As we mentioned, this recipe is NOT lacking in flavor! We're confident that this recipe will satisfy that savory tooth if you're in the mood for something rich, creamy, cheesy, and garlicky!
• Hearty and filling. What do you get when you combine juicy, perfectly seasoned breasts with rich and cheesy pasta? Something that will keep everyone full and satisfied! This dish is packed with both protein AND flavor!
• Made with staple ingredients. Anything you need to make this recipe can be found at any grocery store if you don't already have the ingredients on hand. Nothing fancy!
• Easy to prepare. While this dish tastes like it was prepared by a top chef, you definitely don't need to be a top chef to make it! It comes together in 40 minutes or less using simple, everyday techniques that anyone can do!

🧄Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.

• Oil. We like using avocado oil to sear the chicken breasts because it has a high smoke point. You can use olive oil or any neutral oil. Just don't use butter when cooking the chicken because it will burn.
• Chicken breasts. We like to cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise or buy them as cutlets so they cook up quickly and cook evenly.
• Butter. Unsalted butter will give you the most control over the salt levels in the dish.
• Garlic. You're going to want about 20 cloves or more of garlic if you like garlic as much as we do! Make sure it's fresh garlic!!
• White wine. This adds a layer of depth and flavor to the sauce that's hard to beat. We partnered with Cakebread Cellars to make this recipe over on our Instagram and used their Sauvignon Blanc as the ideal pairing for this rich and creamy recipe. We'd recommend using something light and citrusy to cut through all of the richness of this dish. Choose something that you enjoy drinking on its own, and avoid oaky chardonnays for this recipe. Pick up your own bottle of Cakebread Cellars' sustainably farmed wine!
• Cream cheese. Let the cream cheese sit out at room temperature and get nice and soft, and cut the block into chunks so it can incorporate into the sauce easier.
• Parmesan cheese. The key to this sauce is shredding the cheese yourself! Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents added to it that can make it harder to melt, so make sure you shred it yourself!
• Pasta. Virtually any pasta you want to use for this will work. We chose penne this time, because it's what we had on hand, and it worked great. Make sure to reserve some pasta water!

Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.

✨Substitutions & Variations

Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.

• Use pre-cooked chicken. Looking to save time? No worries! You can use leftover rotisserie chicken or any cut-up and cubed chicken.
• Swap the breasts for thighs. Feel free to cook up chicken thighs instead of breasts for even more flavor!
• Alcohol-free. If you don't use wine in your cooking, that's okay, you can simply swap it for chicken broth or stock.
• Lighter version. Swap the heavy cream for half-and-half, or even whole milk for a lightened-up version of this recipe with fewer calories. We don't recommend going any lighter than whole milk, however, because it needs some creaminess to it!
• Less or more spicy. There's so much cream in this dish, the red pepper flakes add a very subtle heat, but if you like things spicy, feel free to add more to taste!
• Add veggies. Vegetables like mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, and more would all taste great with this recipe if you're looking to sneak in some extra fiber and nutrients!
• Lemony. For a hint of acidity and lemon flavor, try adding lemon zest and juice to the sauce at the end of cooking time.
• Herbed. Add herbs like thyme, basil, or rosemary for lots of extra herbed flavor to the dish.
• Add more proteins. This sauce would taste great with a variety of proteins, including beef, shrimp, salmon, and more! This recipe is sort of similar and you may also enjoy this creamy salmon pasta, this lobster ravioli sauce, or this lobster pasta recipe!

This recipe hasn't been tested with any other substitutions or variations, so we can't guarantee any results. If you make a change, let us know how it goes in the comments below!

🔪Prep Work

• Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta.
• Mince garlic and parsley.
• Dice the onion.
• Grate parmesan cheese.
• Dry chicken breasts off with paper towels.
• Measure out the rest of the ingredients.

Cook the chicken

Start by drizzling the chicken with some of the oil, then seasoning it with some red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion, and smoked paprika. (Image 1)

Add to a hot skillet with more oil, and cook on both sides until completely cooked through, or the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F on an instant-read thermomter. Set aside. (Image 2)

Pro tip: Make sure to let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into it. This helps the juices re-distribute throughout the meat, keeping the chicken nice and juicy!

Make the cream sauce

Add butter to the same skillet to melt, followed by onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened and translucent.

After the onions are beginning to soften, add in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant, then pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, and cook for another 3-4 minutes to reduce. (Image 3)

Reduce the heat to low, then add in the heavy cream, and cream cheese. (Image 4)

Stir frequently to form a sauce. (Image 5)

Meanwhile, begin cooking the pasta for 1-2 minutes under the package directions for al dente! They will continue to cook in the sauce, so we want them to be slightly undercooked. Make sure to reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water!

Begin adding the parmesan cheese in small handfuls, stirring to melt, (Image 6) until all of the cheese is added and the sauce is nice and smooth. (Image 7)

⭑Pro tip: Add cheese slowly, in small handfuls, stirring to melt completely before adding the next handful of cheese. This ensures it doesn't clump up, but instead forms a nice and creamy sauce!

Add cooked pasta, pasta water, parsley, and black pepper to the cream sauce and toss to coat the noodles. (Image 8)

Add the chicken back to the pasta. (Image 9)

Serve with more parmesan cheese, parsley, and enjoy!

✨Top Tips

• Cook the chicken fresh. While you can use pre-cooked chicken, this dish is really phenenomal if you follow the directions to make the chicken breasts with our suggested spice blend too!
• Undercook the pasta slightly. We'd recommend cooking it 1-2 minutes under the package directions, because it will continue to cook in the sauce. This helps ensure that the pasta doesn't end up all mushy.
• Heavily salt the pasta water. You want about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt per every 1 pound of pasta. This helps ensure the pasta isn't bland and flavorless!
• Reserve some pasta cooking water. This helps the cream sauce cling to the noodles, and is perfect for thinning the sauce, or reheating the pasta the next day.
• Add salt slowly. Because of the parmesan cheese in this recipe, you want to add salt slowly and in stages to prevent adding too much at once. Parmesan has a lot of naturally occurring salt.
• Keep the cream sauce over low heat. Do not boil the cream sauce. This can make it curdle, or separate. Low and slow is the name of the game when working with creamy, cheesy sauces!
• Use freshly grated parmesan and add it slowly. Make sure each handful of cheese is melted and incorporated before adding the next. Low heat is definitely the safest route to go!
• Let the chicken rest before slicing. This keeps the chicken moist and juicy, and prevents all those juices from leaking out.