Description
A comforting and creamy pasta dish with tender chicken, savory garlic, and rich Parmesan cheese, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 lb (450 g) twisted pasta (fusilli) or penne/rotini
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 4–5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated preferred)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- Fine salt & black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Season & sear chicken. Pat the chicken dry and season it with salt, pepper, and ½ tsp of Italian seasoning. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbsp of butter. Sear the chicken for about 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer it to a plate but keep the juices in the skillet.
- Build the garlic cream base. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter. Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze & simmer. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the skillet. Stir in the heavy cream and the remaining ½ tsp of Italian seasoning. Allow it to simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Melt Parmesan. Reduce the heat to low. Gradually sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, stirring until it fully melts and the sauce becomes velvety smooth.
- Combine. Return the chicken (along with any juices) to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss until evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, stir in splashes of the reserved pasta water until it has a glossy finish.
- Finish & serve. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
For added flavor, consider serving with extra Parmesan or garlic bread. Freeze leftovers for up to three months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg