Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta (Printer-friendly)
Seared chicken and fettuccine tossed in a silky garlic-Parmesan cream, ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll 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 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
02 - Butterfly chicken breasts and season both sides generously with salt, freshly ground pepper, and dried Italian herbs if using.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear each side until golden brown and fully cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate, cover loosely, and allow to rest.
04 - Reduce skillet heat to medium. Add butter, then onion; sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 1 minute.
05 - Deglaze pan with chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
06 - Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese until sauce is smooth and velvety. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Thinly slice rested chicken. Return chicken and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to combine, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired sauce consistency.
08 - Stir in chopped parsley. Serve immediately, topped with extra fresh parsley and more Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together so quickly you can almost see the transformation from separate ingredients to magic happen before your eyes.
- Leftovers (if there are any) somehow taste even better cold, straight from the fridge in stolen bites.
02 -
- I once added all the pasta water at once—my sauce drowned and lost its body, so add it slowly to control the texture.
- The dish needs salt at several points; relying on one seasoning at the end just doesn’t stack up.
03 -
- Always grate your own Parmesan for the smoothest sauce.
- A splash of the reserved pasta water can rescue a sauce that’s gotten too thick—add it gradually.