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Garlic parmesan chicken pasta recipe WPRM cover showing a beautiful white bowl of creamy fettuccine topped with sliced, golden-crusted chicken, garnished with fresh herbs and cheese on a wooden board near a window.

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

This Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is creamy, rich, and ready in 30 minutes. Golden seared chicken, a garlic-bloomed cream sauce built on fond, and Parmesan added off the heat for a perfectly smooth, silky result every time.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rest Time 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts About 200 to 225g each
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp Onion powder
  • ½ tsp Dried Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Unsalted butter
For the Garlic Parmesan Sauce
  • 3 tbsp Unsalted butter
  • 6 cloves Garlic, minced Fresh only, not jarred
  • 1 cup Heavy cream 240ml
  • ½ cup Chicken broth 120ml
  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated 75g, block only, not pre-grated bag
  • 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice Added at the very end only
  • ¼ tsp Red pepper flakes Optional
  • Salt and black pepper To taste
For the Pasta
  • 12 oz Rigatoni or penne 340g, ridged shapes recommended
  • Salt For pasta water
  • ½ cup Pasta water 120ml, reserved before draining
For Garnish
  • Fresh parsley Chopped
  • Parmesan cheese Extra for serving
  • Black pepper Freshly ground

Equipment

  • 1 Large skillet or cast iron pan For searing chicken and building sauce
  • 1 Large pasta pot For boiling pasta
  • 1 Meat Thermometer For checking chicken doneness
  • 1 Microplane or box grater For freshly grating Parmesan
  • 1 Wooden Spoon For scraping fond and stirring sauce
  • 1 Measuring cup or ladle For scooping pasta water before draining

Method
 

Season and Sear the Chicken
  1. Build a Golden Crust: Mix garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels and rub the seasoning all over both sides. Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken smooth-side down and cook undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes until a deep golden crust forms. Flip once and cook another 4 to 5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F on a meat thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to rest for 5 minutes.
    Garlic parmesan chicken pasta preparation showing a hand using metal tongs to turn a perfectly seasoned chicken breast with a deep golden brown crust in a smoking black skillet on a black stovetop.
Build the Sauce Base
  1. Deglaze the Pan, Keep All the Flavor: Without wiping the pan, add butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 90 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape every golden-brown bit from the pan bottom. Those bits are pure flavor and must not be left behind.
    One pot garlic parmesan chicken pasta preparation showing a hand pouring chicken broth from a measuring cup into a hot black skillet while using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned garlic and butter.
Add Cream and Simmer
  1. Reduce for Body: Pour in the heavy cream and add red pepper flakes if using. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer. Let reduce for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
    Creamy garlic parmesan chicken pasta sauce preparation showing heavy cream gently bubbling and reducing in a black cast iron skillet on a glass stovetop.
Cook the Pasta
  1. Salt the Water, Save the Pasta Water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, about one minute less than the package directions. Before draining, scoop out at least half a cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta.
    Garlic parmesan chicken pasta with penne preparation showing a hand using a glass measuring cup to scoop hot, starchy pasta water from a boiling stainless steel pot on a stove.
Add Parmesan Off the Heat
  1. Low Heat, Small Handfuls: Reduce the skillet to the lowest heat setting. Add the freshly grated Parmesan one small handful at a time, stirring gently after each addition until it melts before adding the next. Never add all the Parmesan at once. Once all the cheese is incorporated and the sauce is smooth and glossy, add the drained pasta and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce clings to every piece without pooling at the bottom. Squeeze in the lemon juice and toss once more.
    Garlic parmesan chicken pasta with fettuccine assembly showing a hand using metal tongs to lift and toss long fettuccine noodles in a creamy, glossy cheese sauce inside a black cast iron skillet.
Slice the Chicken and Serve
  1. Thin Slices Against the Grain: Slice the rested chicken against the grain into thin pieces. Divide the pasta among wide bowls and arrange the chicken slices on top. Finish each bowl with extra freshly grated Parmesan, black pepper, and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
    Creamy garlic parmesan chicken pasta sauce preparation showing heavy cream gently bubbling and reducing in a black cast iron skillet on a glass stovetop.

Notes

  • Freshly grated Parmesan only. Pre-grated from a bag contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting and produce a grainy sauce. Grate from a block immediately before using.
  • Parmesan goes in off the heat. High heat causes Parmesan proteins to clump. Remove from heat or use the lowest possible simmer. Add one small handful at a time.
  • Do not wipe the pan after searing chicken. The fond on the bottom is pure flavor. Deglaze with chicken broth to incorporate it into the sauce.
  • Save pasta water before draining. Starchy pasta water helps the sauce cling to the pasta. This step cannot be substituted or skipped.
  • Garlic must bloom in butter. Cook minced garlic in butter for 90 seconds before adding liquid. This releases its aromatic compounds far more effectively than adding it to cream directly.
  • Lemon juice goes in last. Added at the end of cooking, it brightens all flavors without dissipating. Added earlier, the effect is lost during simmering.
  • Rest the chicken 5 minutes before slicing. Slicing immediately releases juice onto the cutting board. Resting keeps the chicken juicy.
  • Reheating: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of broth or water to the pasta. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop stirring frequently, or microwave at 50 percent power stirring every 30 seconds.
  • Lighter version: Replace heavy cream with half a cup of chicken broth plus half a cup of full-fat Greek yogurt added off the heat.
  • UK/Australia notes: "Heavy cream" equals double cream or thickened cream. "Skillet" equals frying pan. "Rigatoni" and "penne" are available globally under the same names.
  • Nutrition values are estimates and vary based on exact cream quantity and Parmesan amount.