Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta (Printable)
Seared chicken with garlic cream, Parmesan and fettuccine for a comforting weeknight dinner in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Pasta
02 - 12 ounces fettuccine or linguine
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
→ Dairy
06 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, optional
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettuccine or linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - Butterfly chicken breasts and season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs if desired.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken breasts until golden and cooked through, around 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely, and let rest.
04 - Reduce heat to medium in the same skillet. Add butter and sauté chopped onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Deglaze skillet with chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
06 - Thinly slice the rested chicken breasts. Return chicken to skillet along with cooked pasta. Toss well, gradually adding reserved pasta water to reach preferred sauce consistency.
07 - Stir in chopped parsley. Serve immediately, garnished with additional parsley and Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You can whip this up on a weeknight and still feel like you made something special.
- The sauce is so luscious and garlicky that nobody suspects how little effort it takes.
02 -
- Don’t overcook the pasta—mushy noodles can’t be rescued by even the best sauce.
- Scraping up all the stuck-on bits after searing keeps the sauce loaded with flavor—don’t skip it.
03 -
- Searing the chicken until deeply golden is key—it adds so much flavor to the whole dish.
- Stir Parmesan in gradually, off the heat, to prevent clumps and achieve a silky sauce.