Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Juicy chicken and pasta coated in a velvety garlic Parmesan cream sauce for a comforting weeknight dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz fettuccine or penne pasta

→ Dairy

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - ½ cup heavy cream
05 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - ⅓ cup whole milk

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Pantry & Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Set the drained pasta aside.
02 - Pat the chicken breast slices dry and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange the chicken in an even layer and sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. Melt the butter in the same skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the chicken. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for about 2 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and whole milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Gradually whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a handful at a time, until fully melted and the sauce is silky smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen it with small splashes of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your preferred consistency. Sprinkle in the dried Italian herbs if using.
05 - Add the cooked pasta and seared chicken to the skillet, tossing everything together so every strand or piece is thoroughly coated in the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Transfer to warm serving bowls or plates immediately. Finish with a scatter of chopped fresh parsley and an extra shower of Parmesan if desired. Serve alongside a crisp green salad or crusty bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the same pan you cook the chicken in, so every caramelized bit gets folded back into the final dish.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but honestly takes less effort than folding laundry.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of milk, assuming you have any left.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks greasy, take the pan off the heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold pasta water to bring it back together.
  • Adding the cheese off direct heat or at very low heat prevents it from separating and turning oily.
03 -
  • Do not move the chicken around while it sears, letting it sit undisturbed is what builds the flavorful crust that makes the sauce extraordinary.
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need, you rarely use all of it but you cannot get it back once it is gone.

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