This Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is made with a delicious, savory sauce over tender sliced chicken. This chicken pasta recipe is customizable and can be made in about 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner you’re family will love!
One of the best flavor profiles that you can create in your kitchen with very little effort is the combination of garlic and parmesan cheese. It sounds simple because it is but it is also extremely versatile.
You can use these ingredients to make a sauce like in this pasta dish or you can use it to make a crust for chicken like these Amazing Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs. It’s also a great addition to seafood or fish like this Garlic Parmesan Crusted Cod, Garlic Parmesan Shrimp or this Salmon recipe.
How to make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta:
(For Full Recipe Scroll To Bottom of Page)
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
- Chicken Breast
- Butter
- Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
For the Cream Sauce:
- Grated Parmesan
- Garlic
- Heavy Cream
- Lemon Juice
- Butter
- Salt and Pepper
Plus:
- Penne Pasta
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to the box directions. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Season chicken breast evenly with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Add lid to your saucepan and lower heat. Cook chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside. Drain any excess juices from the pan and return to the stove.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Melt over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about a minute).
- Add the cream to the pan and stir over medium heat. Do not bring to a boil or the cream will curdle. Once warmed through add parmesan, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Continue to stir cream sauce over medium heat until fully blended and warmed. Add in cooked pasta. Continue to stir pasta into sauce. Sauce will appear thin but will begin to thicken as the pasta soaks it up.
- Slice cooked chicken and add to the cream and pasta.
- Serve warm, garnish with additional parmesan and cracked pepper.
Substitutions and Variations:
Cream or Milk: In a pinch you can use milk to make this recipe. It’s not something I highly recommend doing at the cream provides much of the flavor and texture to this recipe.
Pasta Shapes: I used Penne but you can use Farfalle, RIgatoni or Linguini, The important thing is to choose a pasta with a shape that will catch some of the sauce as you are eating.
Add Some Veggies: Green peas are a classic addition to pasta with cream sauce. A bag of steamed broccoli or carrots (to both!) would also be a great addition to this pasta. A couple handles of spinach is another option.
Give It Some Heat: Add a 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes for a little spice. Add more to person taste.
Notes and Tips:
If you prefer a thin sauce on your pasta reserve ⅓ cup of pasta water before draining it. Then once sauce is prepared slowly add the reserved water while stirring until it reaches your desired consistency.
Storage:
Refrigerate: Pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Pop a serving onto a microwave safe dish and warm for about a minute stir and heat for an additional 30 seconds.
I hope you and your family will love this recipe as much as we do! If you do try this recipe please come back and leave a comment letting me know how much you liked it!
Happy Cooking Y’all!
Susanne
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
For the Chicken
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For the Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups cream
- 1 cup parmesan
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Cook pasta according to the box directions. Drain pasta and set aside.
-
Season chicken breast evenly with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
-
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Add lid to your saucepan and lower heat. Cook chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
-
Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside. Drain any excess juices from the pan and return to the stove.
-
Add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Melt over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about a minute).
-
Add the cream to the pan and stir over medium heat. Do not bring to a boil or the cream will curdle. Once warmed through add parmesan, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
-
Continue to stir cream sauce over medium heat until fully blended and warmed. Add in cooked pasta. Continue to stir pasta into sauce. Sauce will appear thin but will begin to thicken as the pasta soaks it up.
-
Slice cooked chicken and add to the cream and pasta.
-
Serve warm, garnish with additional parmesan and cracked pepper.
-
In a pinch you can use milk to make this recipe. It’s not something I highly recommend doing at the cream provides much of the flavor and texture to this recipe.
Recipe Notes
- Green peas are a classic addition to pasta with cream sauce. A bag of steamed broccoli or carrots (to both!) would also be a great addition to this pasta. A couple handles of fresh spinach is another option.
- You can use milk to make this recipe. It’s not something I highly recommend doing at the cream provides much of the flavor and texture to this recipe.
- Nutritional information is estimated. Amounts will vary based on ingredient choices and serving sizes.
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