Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta (Printable version)
Seared chicken and fettuccine in a silky garlic-parmesan cream sauce—ready in about 35 minutes.
# What you need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz 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
# How to make it:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - Butterfly the chicken breasts and season both sides with salt, freshly ground pepper, and dried Italian herbs if desired.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken until golden and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover loosely.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add unsalted butter and sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
05 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.
06 - Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Thinly slice the rested chicken breasts. Return chicken and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water gradually to reach desired consistency.
08 - Stir in chopped parsley. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one skillet, secretly saving you a mountain of dishes.
- The combination of fresh parsley and nutty Parmesan makes it feel just a little more special than your usual pasta night.
02 -
- If the garlic gets too golden, the whole sauce leans bitter—I learned to keep my eyes glued on the pan here.
- Resting the chicken under foil makes it juicier when you slice it—don’t skip this step, even if it’s tempting.
03 -
- Letting the chicken rest before slicing keeps each piece juicy.
- Saving a splash of pasta water has rescued my sauce more than once—you’ll be glad you did.