Quick Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken cooked with garlic, Parmesan, and pasta in a creamy sauce for busy nights.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (approx. 17.6 oz)

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Dairy

03 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2.1 oz)
04 - ½ cup heavy cream (4 fl oz)
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter (1 oz)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

→ Stock & Seasonings

09 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (24 fl oz)
10 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
11 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Oil

13 - 1 tbsp olive oil

# How To Make It:

01 - Warm olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - Season chicken with salt, pepper, and half the Italian seasoning, then sauté until golden and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, cook onion for 2 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook an additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in uncooked pasta, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
05 - Lower heat to low and stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until sauce is creamy and cheese fully melts.
06 - Return chicken to skillet, toss to combine, and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Add chopped parsley, then adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.
08 - Plate pasta hot, garnished with additional Parmesan and parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One skillet means minimal cleanup when you're already exhausted from the day.
  • Chicken cooks right in the pan alongside everything else, so nothing feels like extra steps.
  • That creamy Parmesan sauce comes together in under five minutes without any fancy technique.
  • It tastes impressive enough to serve guests, but casual enough for a Tuesday night in sweatpants.
02 -
  • If your pasta is still crunchy after the liquid absorbs, you haven't cooked it long enough; the residual heat in the pan will finish the job if you're willing to wait another minute.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh and avoid the pre-grated kind at all costs, because it won't melt into a creamy sauce no matter how hard you stir.
  • Don't let the cream boil; keep the heat low so it stays smooth and thick rather than breaking and getting grainy.
03 -
  • Brown the chicken properly in step two; it's the only chance to build real flavor and color, so don't rush or crowd the pan.
  • Keep your Parmesan in a block and grate it fresh every time; it makes a difference in both texture and taste that you'll absolutely taste in the finished sauce.
  • Taste the pasta at the nine-minute mark, then again at eleven, so you catch that perfect al dente moment instead of overshooting into mushy.
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