Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
You’ve got to make this delicious, creamy garlic parmesan chicken pasta that’s great for any night of the week. This pasta is cheesy, creamy, and packed with all the flavors. Plus, it comes together in just 35 minutes!
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This creamy pasta is exactly what you need! Think tender chicken breasts marinated, perfectly seared, mixed with pasta, and smothered in a rich, cheesy Parmesan sauce.
This dish, my friend, will be a family favorite, so take my word for it and add it to your meal rotation. And check out my Instant Pot chicken alfredo and homemade hamburger helper recipes, they are totally kid-approved.
Table of Contents
Easy Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta
This dish is the ultimate weeknight dinner that tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant, but guess what? You can whip it up in your kitchen in just 35 minutes!
The real hero is in the creamy sauce – oh my the sauce. We’re talking heavy cream, white wine, and Parmesan cheese all coming together to create something incredibly delicious. Throw in some garlic, onions, and dried tomatoes for that extra flavor.
This dish is also kid-approved. Is it just me, or does anything with cheese, sauce, or pasta always get devoured?
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – We’re using large chicken breasts here. Halve them for quicker, more even cooking. Plus, who doesn’t love tender, juicy chicken?
- Pasta – Penne is our pasta of choice, but don’t let that stop you from using your favorite shape. Bowties, ziti, or even spaghetti would be fabulous.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated Parmesan is where it’s at. So no, none of that pre-grated stuff. You want that gooey melted cheese, but if you must it is not a train smash.
- Heavy Cream – This is what makes the sauce oh-so-creamy and dreamy. If you’re feeling a bit extra, use a splash more. I won’t tell.
- White Wine – Adds a lovely depth of flavor. Chicken broth works as a great substitute if you prefer to skip it.
- Dried Tomatoes – These little gems bring a subtle sweetness that balances out the sauce’s richness. If yours is in a liquid, make sure to drain it.
- Garlic and Onions – This combo always adds that extra flavor. Mince them up finely to make sure every bite is packed with deliciousness.
How To Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Get complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card further below.
Step 1 – Season chicken. Set aside for 15 minutes. Cook pasta. Drain under cold water and set aside.
Step 2 – Sear chicken and set aside on a plate.
Step 3 – Melt butter then add onion and garlic. Add dried tomato, heavy cream, white wine, and parmesan. Stir all together. Allow the sauce to thicken.
Step 4 – Add pasta to the skillet. Combine all. Add chicken back in the skillet. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the stove and garnish. Serve and enjoy
Bintu’s Tips
- Let the chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Keep an eye on the sauce as it thickens. You don’t want it to burn.
- Cook your pasta al dente. Remember, it’ll continue to cook a bit when you mix it with the sauce, so you don’t want it to get mushy.
- Get a good sear on the chicken. This locks in the juices and adds a lovely, flavorful crust.
- Don’t be shy with the Parmesan. A generous sprinkle on top before serving makes this dish even more irresistible.
Delicious Variations
- Customize Your Veggies – Feel free to add extra veggies like spinach, bell peppers, or mushrooms to up that nutritional value and add more flavors.
- Vary The Pasta – Use your favorite pasta shapes like spaghetti, farfalle, ziti, or fusilli.
- Make it Vegetarian – Skip the chicken and add more veggies like bell peppers, spinach, or mushrooms.
- Wine Substitute – Use chicken broth if you want to skip the white wine.
Prep And Storage
- Prep Ahead – You can marinate the chicken a few hours ahead of time.
- Store – Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze – This dish doesn’t freeze well because of the cream sauce.
FAQs
Garlic parmesan sauce is made of butter, minced garlic, heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, white wine, minced onions, dried tomatoes, and seasonings. These ingredients come together to create a creamy, cheesy, and flavorful sauce.
Mozzarella or cheddar would be delicious additions to this dish. Just be sure to adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Chicken broth is a great substitute for white wine. It adds a similar depth of flavor without the alcohol.
Similar Recipes
Serve With:
- Garlic Bread – Perfect for soaking up all that creamy sauce. It can’t go to waste.
- Tossed Salad – A fresh salad is great to complement the rich sauce.
- Air Fried Vegetables – These air fryer roasted vegetables give you a few choices to add those daily veggies.
Recommended Tools
- This set of measuring cups and spoons ensures you use the right amounts.
- A large mixing bowl for combing ingredients.
- A stand mixer or handheld electric mixer makes blending the ingredients super easy.
- For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.
Thank you for reading my parmesan garlic chicken pasta post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.
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Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 pound (453g) large chicken breasts halved
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pasta
- 12 ounces (340g) penne pasta
Parmesan Sauce
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup (13g) chopped dried tomato without oil
- 1 cup (250ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (250ml) white wine
- ½ cup (45g) parmesan cheese grated
To garnish
- Red pepper chili flakes
- Parsley chopped
- Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and oil in a bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, cook pasta by following the instructions on the packaging. Drain under cold water and set aside.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium high heat. Sear chicken on one side for 2 minutes then flip to sear on the other side for another 2 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt butter then add onion and garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant. Add dried tomato, heavy cream, white wine and parmesan. Stir all together. Allow the sauce to thicken. Don’t leave the skillet. Add pasta in the skillet. Combine all together.
- Add chicken back in the skillet. Cook for 1 minute.
- Remove from the stove. Garnish with chili flakes, parsley and parmesan cheese. Serve.
Video
Notes
- Let the chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Keep an eye on the sauce as it thickens. You don’t want it to burn.
- Cook your pasta al dente. Remember, it’ll continue to cook a bit when you mix it with the sauce, so you don’t want it to get mushy.
- Get a good sear on the chicken. This locks in the juices and adds a lovely, flavorful crust.
- Don’t be shy with the Parmesan. A generous sprinkle on top before serving makes this dish even more irresistible.
- Store – Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
