Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Juicy chicken and fettuccine coated in a velvety garlic Parmesan cream sauce for a comforting weeknight dinner.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz fettuccine or penne pasta

→ Dairy

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - ½ cup heavy cream
05 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - ⅓ cup whole milk

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Pantry & Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Set drained pasta aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, season the thinly sliced chicken breasts generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken slices in a single layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.
04 - In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 2 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
05 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the heavy cream and whole milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Gradually whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and the sauce is smooth and velvety. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with small amounts of the reserved pasta water until the desired consistency is reached. Sprinkle in the dried Italian herbs if using.
06 - Add the drained pasta and seared chicken to the skillet with the cream sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Divide among plates and serve immediately. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and an extra shower of grated Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in one pan while your pasta cooks, so cleanup is almost embarrassingly easy.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant and tip generously for, but you made it in your sweatpants.
02 -
  • Do not let the sauce boil after adding the Parmesan or it will break and turn grainy instead of smooth.
  • The sauce thickens as it sits, so serve it right away or have that pasta water ready to loosen it up.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan on the finest holes of the box grater so it melts into the sauce seamlessly with no stringy lumps.
  • Let the chicken rest for two minutes after cooking before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the cutting board.

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