Quick Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printer View)

Tender chicken and pasta in a creamy garlic Parmesan sauce, ready in 30 minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 17.6 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Dairy

03 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (60 g)
04 - ½ cup heavy cream (120 ml)
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

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

→ Stock & Seasonings

09 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (700 ml)
10 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Oil

13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Method:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in thirty minutes flat, which means you can actually have dinner on the table before anyone starts getting hangry.
  • The cream and Parmesan create this luxurious sauce that clings to every piece of pasta, making something simple taste genuinely special.
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so cleanup is mercifully short and you can actually relax after dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the chicken—that golden crust is flavor that doesn't happen any other way, and it's what makes this taste like you actually know what you're doing.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, a splash of that reserved broth or even pasta water loosens it right back up; if it looks too thin, let it simmer a minute more uncovered.
  • Taste before serving and adjust the seasoning—cream can muffle flavors, so what tasted perfect in the pan sometimes needs one more pinch of salt.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan—the pre-shredded versions have cellulose added to prevent clumping, and it makes the sauce grainy and weird instead of silky.
  • Season in layers rather than all at once at the end; this builds flavor through the dish instead of having it hit all at once and taste flat.
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