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Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Garlic Parmesan chicken pasta with a silky garlic Parmesan cream sauce coats every strand of spaghetti or fettuccine. Golden sliced chicken tops the bowl, finished with basil and shaved Parmesan for a restaurant-style weeknight chicken pasta dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasonings
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt
  • pepper
  • garlic powder
  • Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Pasta
  • 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine Cooked; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
  • 1 cup pasta water Reserved from cooking the pasta.
Garlic Parmesan cream sauce
  • 5 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
  • fresh basil For serving.
  • extra Parmesan For serving; shaved.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook and slice the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F, then rest and slice thin.
Make the garlic Parmesan cream sauce
  1. In the same skillet, cook the minced garlic with the butter over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring so it becomes fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Finish the sauce and coat the pasta
  1. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes until the sauce is smooth. Add the reserved pasta water a splash at a time as needed to reach a silky consistency.
Assemble and serve
  1. Toss the cooked spaghetti or fettuccine in the garlic Parmesan sauce until every strand is coated. Divide among plates, top with the sliced chicken, then garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer the cream just until slightly thickened, then use reserved pasta water to loosen it into a glossy, cling-to-the-pasta texture. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to restore silkiness. Freezing is not recommended due to cream separation. Dietary swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce (texture will be slightly less rich).