Description
This Creamy Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta is a rich and comforting dish featuring tender chicken pieces sautéed in garlic butter, combined with a luscious Parmesan cream sauce, and tossed with perfectly cooked fettuccine. It’s an ideal meal for a satisfying weeknight dinner or a special occasion, bursting with Italian-inspired flavors and creamy goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Fats
- 2 large chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter (plus more as needed)
Flavorings and Dairy
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Pasta
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, season them with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Sear the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, then remove it from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining butter and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté the garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Add Heavy Cream and Simmer: Pour in the heavy cream while scraping the bottom of the skillet to deglaze and lift any flavorful browned bits. Let the cream simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Incorporate Parmesan Cheese: Slowly stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, whisking constantly until the cheese is melted and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. If the sauce becomes too thick, adjust the consistency with a splash of additional cream or reserved pasta water.
- Cook Pasta: In a separate pot, cook the fettuccine pasta in salted boiling water until al dente following package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
- Combine Pasta, Chicken, and Sauce: Add the cooked fettuccine and the seared chicken back into the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together to coat the pasta and chicken evenly with the creamy sauce. Gradually add reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the creamy chicken pasta with freshly chopped parsley if using, and serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese on the side.
Notes
- To prevent the garlic from burning, sauté it over medium heat and watch closely.
- Using freshly grated Parmesan cheese ensures a smoother sauce compared to pre-grated varieties.
- If you want a lighter sauce, substitute half of the heavy cream with milk or a cream alternative.
- Reserve pasta water is key to adjusting sauce consistency and helps the sauce adhere better to the pasta.
- This recipe can be made with chicken thighs or breasts depending on your preference; thighs tend to stay juicier.
- For added flavor, you can sprinkle red pepper flakes while sautéing garlic for a slight kick.
