Description
A rich and creamy pasta dish featuring tender chicken, heavy cream, and sharp Parmesan cheese, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 lb (450 g) twisted pasta (fusilli), or penne/rotini
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 4–5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated preferred)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- Fine salt & black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook your pasta until it’s al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Season the chicken cubes with salt, pepper, and ½ tsp of Italian seasoning. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbsp of butter and sear the chicken for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Build the garlic cream base by lowering the heat. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter, minced garlic, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook until garlic is fragrant.
- Deglaze the skillet with chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in heavy cream and remaining ½ tsp of Italian seasoning, and let simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Melt the Parmesan gradually, stirring until the sauce is smooth.
- Combine the seared chicken and drained pasta with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water for desired consistency. Toss well.
- Finish with salt, pepper, and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
For a lighter version, consider substituting heavy cream with half-and-half or light cream. This dish also allows customization with additional vegetables like spinach or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: creamy pasta, garlic Parmesan, chicken pasta, easy dinner, family meal