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Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Garlic Parmesan chicken pasta with a silky garlic-Parmesan cream sauce and golden sliced chicken over spaghetti. Creamy garlic pasta coated strand-by-strand, finished with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.25 Salt
  • 0.25 pepper
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Pasta and sauce
  • 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine cooked; reserve 1 cup pasta water
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 fresh basil plus extra for serving
  • 0.25 extra Parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook and rest the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F.
  2. Transfer the chicken to a plate, rest briefly, then slice thin.
Make the garlic Parmesan cream sauce
  1. In the same skillet, melt the butter with the minced garlic over medium heat and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  2. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Add reserved pasta water as needed for consistency.
Toss and serve
  1. Add the cooked spaghetti or fettuccine to the skillet and toss until the pasta is coated in the silky garlic Parmesan sauce.
  2. Divide the pasta among plates and top with the sliced chicken. Garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.

Notes

For the silkiest sauce, add pasta water a splash at a time until the cream clings to the strands. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently with a teaspoon of water or broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream sauce can break. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (sauce will be thinner—keep simmering slightly longer and add a bit more pasta water).