Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken in a velvety garlic Parmesan cream sauce tossed with al dente fettuccine for a comforting weeknight dinner.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 Make:

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 a single layer and sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 2 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 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 velvety smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen it with small splashes of the reserved pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency. Sprinkle in the dried Italian herbs if using.
05 - Add the cooked pasta and seared chicken to the skillet. Toss everything together, coating the pasta and chicken evenly in the rich Parmesan sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Divide among warm serving plates. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta like it was made for it, because honestly it was.
  • It takes less than an hour from cutting board to plate, which means you can pull this off even on your most exhausted days.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, making it the gold standard of next day desk lunches.
02 -
  • Do not let the sauce come to a full boil after adding the Parmesan or it will separate and turn grainy instead of silky.
  • The sauce thickens as it sits, so if you are not serving right away, keep a little pasta water handy to loosen it back up.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for at least 3 minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto your cutting board.
  • Always reserve more pasta water than you think you need, because it is much easier to thin a thick sauce than to fix one that is too loose.

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