Creamy Parmesan Pasta: Tender Chicken & Garlic Sauce
A creamy, garlicky pasta dish with juicy seared chicken and Parmesan cheese. Ready in under an hour, it’s a cozy and flavorful dinner everyone will love.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless chicken breasts or 4 thighs
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning (for chicken)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 8 oz pasta (fettuccine, penne, or linguine)
- Fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Season and sear chicken in olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. Cook through, remove and slice.
- In the same pan, melt 2 tbsp butter and sauté garlic until fragrant.
- Add broth and cream. Simmer, then stir in Parmesan and red pepper flakes. Season to taste.
- Return pasta and chicken to skillet. Toss to coat in sauce. Simmer 1–2 minutes.
- Garnish with herbs and extra cheese. Serve warm.
Notes
Add spinach or mushrooms for variety. Use half-and-half for a lighter version. Reheat gently with added broth or milk.