Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Juicy chicken and pasta coated in a velvety garlic Parmesan cream sauce — pure comfort on a plate.

# 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 (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# Steps:

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 the starchy pasta water before draining. Set the drained pasta aside.
02 - Pat the chicken breast slices dry and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
03 - In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 2 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
04 - Lower the heat to medium-low. Pour in the heavy cream and whole milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer — do not allow it to boil. Gradually whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese, a handful at a time, until fully melted and the sauce is velvety smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen it with splashes of the reserved pasta water until the desired consistency is reached. Sprinkle in the dried Italian herbs if using.
05 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet and add the drained pasta. Toss everything together, coating the pasta and chicken evenly in the creamy sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Divide among warmed plates or shallow bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and an extra shower of grated Parmesan. Serve immediately while the sauce is still silky and warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in one skillet and coats every single strand of pasta like a velvet blanket.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but honestly takes less effort than weeknight takeout.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, take the pan off the heat immediately and whisk in a splash of warm pasta water to bring it back together.
  • Adding the cheese too fast over high heat is the number one way to get a clumpy sauce instead of a smooth one.
03 -
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need because you cannot get it back once it is gone and you will almost always want more.
  • Finely grate the Parmesan on the smallest holes of your box grater so it melts seamlessly into the cream without any stubborn lumps.

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