Quick Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken with garlic, creamy Parmesan sauce, and cooked pasta for a flavorful, comforting dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Dairy

03 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 oz)
04 - ½ cup heavy cream
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)

→ Stock & Seasonings

09 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
11 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Oil

13 - 1 tbsp olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Warm olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and half of the Italian seasoning; sauté until golden and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
03 - Add onion to the same skillet and cook for 2 minutes until softened; stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add uncooked pasta, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most liquid has evaporated, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
05 - Lower heat to low and stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy and cheese melts fully.
06 - Return chicken to the skillet, toss to coat thoroughly, and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Mix in chopped parsley, adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.
08 - Plate immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Real dinner from start to finish in thirty minutes, no shortcuts that taste like shortcuts.
  • One pan means one thing to clean, which matters more than you'd think on a tired evening.
  • The kind of comfort food that feels indulgent but doesn't leave you feeling heavy.
02 -
  • If you add the cream at high heat, it can break or separate; low and slow is the only way to get that silky finish.
  • Taste as you go and adjust seasoning in layers—garlic-stage, broth-stage, sauce-stage—so you catch things before they're oversalted or underseasoned.
03 -
  • Cut your chicken into truly bite-sized pieces so they cook through quickly and blend into the sauce instead of demanding to be chewed through.
  • The moment you see the pasta starting to soften is when you stop stirring constantly and just stir every couple of minutes—let it develop a little flavor on the bottom of the pan without burning.
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