Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta (Printable)
Seared chicken and fettuccine tossed in a rich garlic-Parmesan cream sauce, ready in about 35 minutes.
# What You 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 - ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
07 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
10 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Add fettuccine or linguine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water.
02 - Butterfly each chicken breast and season both sides generously with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried Italian herbs if using.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until golden and fully cooked. Remove from the skillet, cover, and allow to rest.
04 - Reduce skillet heat to medium. Melt unsalted butter, add finely chopped onion, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Deglaze skillet with chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Pour in heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, and stir in grated Parmesan until sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
06 - Thinly slice cooked chicken breasts. Return sliced chicken and drained pasta to the skillet, tossing gently to coat with the sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to adjust sauce consistency.
07 - Stir in chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- No one suspects how simply the silky sauce comes together—perfect for impressing on a whim.
- The combination of juicy chicken, satiny noodles, and fragrant garlic earns praise from even the pickiest eaters I know.
02 -
- Rushing the chicken means losing tenderness—let it rest after cooking to keep it juicy.
- Adding cheese over high heat makes it clumpy; low and slow gives you the dreamy texture everyone wants.
03 -
- If the chicken sticks to the pan, it&s not ready to flip yet—wait for a natural release.
- Grating your own Parmesan is a tiny extra step that transforms the smoothness of the sauce.