Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta (Printer-friendly)
Tender chicken and fettuccine in a silky garlic-parmesan cream, ready in 35 minutes for four.
# What you'll need:
→ Meats
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
# Method:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare pasta following package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - Butterfly chicken breasts. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs if using.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken on each side until golden and fully cooked, approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover loosely to rest.
04 - In the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
05 - Deglaze skillet with chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
06 - Add heavy cream to skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk in Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Slice rested chicken into thin strips. Return chicken to the skillet along with cooked pasta. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired sauce consistency is reached.
08 - Stir in chopped parsley. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and Parmesan cheese as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This pasta feels like restaurant-level comfort but it comes together before you can finish a glass of wine.
- The sauce is so creamy and garlicky that it clings to every strand and makes leftovers (if there are any) a lunchtime event.
02 -
- Don’t rush slicing the chicken straight from the pan—resting keeps it moist, and slicing too soon will lose those tasty juices.
- Adding pasta water by the splash lets you control creaminess without drowning the sauce or making it runny.
03 -
- Sear the chicken without moving it too much–a good crust means more flavor in the pan for your sauce.
- If you want an even silkier sauce, stir in a pat of cold butter at the very end just before serving.