Description
This Creamy Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta is a rich and comforting dish featuring tender chicken breast pieces seared to perfection, tossed in a luscious garlic parmesan cream sauce and served over perfectly cooked al dente fettuccine. Ideal for a hearty weeknight dinner, this recipe balances savory flavors with a smooth, velvety texture and a hint of fresh parsley garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 large chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter (plus more as needed)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Pasta
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, seasoning them with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, then remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic: Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining butter and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Simmer Cream: Pour in the heavy cream, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to deglaze the pan. Let the cream simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add Parmesan Cheese: Slowly stir in the grated Parmesan cheese while whisking continuously until the cheese melts completely and the sauce becomes smooth. If the sauce is too thick, adjust by adding a splash of heavy cream or some reserved pasta water.
- Cook Pasta: In a separate pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Combine Pasta and Chicken with Sauce: Add the cooked pasta and seared chicken back into the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together to coat the pasta and chicken evenly. Gradually add reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening to reach your desired consistency.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley over the top and serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan cheese on the side.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and smoothest sauce texture.
- If you prefer a lighter sauce, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream.
- You can swap fettuccine for other pasta types like linguine or penne.
- Reserve some pasta water before draining to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
- Chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts for a juicier result.
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when sautéing the garlic.
