Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta

This Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta is ready in 40 minutes or less and is a super flavorful, rich, and creamy meal suitable for a cozy weeknight dinner or a special occasion. This restaurant-quality meal is made with staple ingredients, and is sure to become a favorite!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 801kcal

Author: Briana

Equipment

large skillet
stock pot

Ingredients

Chicken

2 pounds thin chicken breasts or breast cutlets can sub thighs, chicken tenderloings
2.5 tablespoons oil avocado oil, olive oil, or any neutral oil, divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Creamy garlic parmesan cream sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion diced
¼ - ½ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
20 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
16 ounces pasta of choice (we used penne)
¾ cup white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio (can sub chicken stock)
8 ounce block cream cheese softened and cut into cubes
2 cups heavy cream
6-8 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
¼ cup fresh parsley minced, optional
½-1 cup reserved pasta water as needed to thin the sauce

Instructions

Chicken

Start by bringing a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of oil over the chicken, reserving the rest for searing the chicken. Season the chicken with kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat well.
2 pounds thin chicken breasts or breast cutlets , 2.5 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Add the remaining oil to the hot skillet, then add the chicken, in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F using an instant read thermometer. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside to rest before cutting it into strips.

Cream sauce

In the same pan, add the butter, followed by onion with a pinch of salt. Cook until beginning to soften, about 4-5 minutes, then add in garlic, red pepper flakes and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 large yellow onion, ¼ - ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 20 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Meanwhile, cook the pasta 1-2 minutes under the package directions for al dente (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Reserve pasta water for later.
16 ounces pasta of choice
Deglaze the pan with white wine and cook for 2-3 minutes to cook out the alcohol.
¾ cup white wine
Reduce heat to medium-low, then add in cream cheese, then heavy cream, and stir to combine and heat through.
8 ounce block cream cheese, 2 cups heavy cream
Once the sauce is nice and smooth, begin adding in the parmesan in small handfuls, stirring to melt.
6-8 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
Add the black pepper, salt to taste, and freshly minced parsley, then add in the pasta and pasta water. Toss to combine and let the sauce cling to the noodles.
¼ cup fresh parsley , ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½-1 cup reserved pasta water
Add back the chicken and serve with more parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of pasta water or broth.

Notes

- Cook the chicken fresh. While you can use pre-cooked chicken, this dish is really phenomenal 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.

Nutrition