Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken and pasta 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
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 the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Set the drained pasta aside.
02 - 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 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 2 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
05 - Reduce the 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 grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and the sauce is smooth and velvety. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with the reserved pasta water, adding a splash at a time. Sprinkle in the dried Italian herbs if using.
06 - Add the cooked 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 - Transfer to serving plates or bowls immediately. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in one skillet and reheats beautifully the next day for lunch.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but costs a fraction and takes under an hour.
02 -
  • Adding the Parmesan off the heat or too quickly will cause it to clump into stringy lumps instead of melting smoothly.
  • Reserving that pasta water is not optional because without it the sauce can seize and turn thick pasty instead of silky.
03 -
  • Grate the Parmesan as finely as you can because larger shreds take longer to melt and leave an uneven texture in the sauce.
  • Let the skillet cool for thirty seconds off the heat before adding the cream to prevent scorching and keep the sauce pristine.

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