Pasta Dinner Idea: Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
A fast, creamy pasta dish with juicy chicken, bold garlic flavor, and rich Parmesan sauce — ready in 30 minutes and perfect for comfort food cravings.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz pasta (penne, fettuccine, or rotini)
- 1 lb chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Optional: chopped parsley, extra Parmesan for serving
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Sear in hot skillet with olive oil and butter until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté garlic for 1 minute.
- Add chicken broth and simmer, scraping up browned bits. Stir in cream.
- Add Parmesan and stir until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Return chicken to skillet. Add pasta and reserved pasta water. Toss to coat.
- Season to taste, garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Use half-and-half for a lighter version. Add spinach, mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes if desired. Reheat gently with a splash of liquid.