Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is 8 cloves of garlic, 2 cups of real Parmesan, and a skillet sauce built on the browned bits the chicken leaves behind. The chicken cooks whole and gets sliced over the top at the end, so it stays juicy instead of turning into dry little cubes. There’s more sauce than you need, and that’s on purpose.
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
This is the dinner that makes my whole house go quiet for about 10 minutes.
Eight cloves of garlic into melted butter, then broth, then cream, then 2 full cups of Parmesan stirred in a handful at a time until the whole thing goes silky. The pasta gets tossed right into the sauce. The chicken rests, gets sliced, goes over the top, and then you spoon more sauce over that.
I wrote a whole book about 30 minute one pot meals, so I don’t ask you to dirty a second pot lightly. This one needs it. The pasta wants its own salted water and the sauce wants the fond the chicken left behind, and doing both in one pan gets you gluey pasta and a sauce that never comes together. Two pots. I’d do it again.
Fair warning about the smell. Eight cloves of garlic hitting butter is the fastest way to summon every living thing on this property. Remo appears from wherever he was. Jack Ryan is already in the kitchen because Jack is always wherever I am, but he shows up with a noticeably improved attitude. Han Solo stays outside patrolling the pond he’s no longer allowed in, which is the only reason there were any leftovers.
The Secret Is in the Cheese
Every grainy Parmesan sauce I’ve ever eaten failed in the same 30 seconds, and it’s almost never the cook’s fault. It’s 2 things nobody tells you.
The first is the cheese itself. Pre-shredded Parmesan is coated with an anti-caking agent so it doesn’t clump in the bag, and that coating is exactly what refuses to melt into a sauce. It sits there in little granules and no amount of stirring fixes it. Buy a block and grate it yourself. That’s the whole trick, and it takes 3 minutes.
The second is heat. Cheese splits when it’s dumped into a boiling sauce. So you drop the pan to low first, then add the Parmesan a handful at a time, letting each one disappear before the next goes in. Slower, yes. But it’s the difference between silky and sandy and there’s no going back once it breaks.
Do those 2 things and this sauce comes out glossy every single time.
Ingredients in Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Penne or rotini (12 ounces): You want a shape with somewhere for the sauce to hide. Tubes and spirals are both great. Long pasta just can’t hold a sauce this thick.
- Olive oil (2 tablespoons): For searing the chicken. Nothing fancy, save the good bottle for salads.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts (1½ pounds): Cooked whole, rested, then sliced over the top. Cooking them whole is the whole reason they stay juicy.
- Italian seasoning (1 teaspoon): For the chicken. Whatever blend is already in your cupboard is fine.
- Smoked paprika (1 teaspoon for the chicken, plus ½ teaspoon for the sauce): Smoked, not sweet. It gives the chicken its color and the sauce a low warm hum you can’t quite put your finger on.
- Salt and black pepper (½ teaspoon each): For the chicken only. The sauce gets plenty of salt from the broth and 2 cups of Parmesan, so taste before you add more at the end.
- Unsalted butter (5 tablespoons): The base of the roux. Unsalted, because you’ve got a mountain of cheese coming.
- Garlic (8 cloves, minced): Yes, 8. It’s in the name. Mince it fresh if you can, the jarred stuff disappears in a sauce this rich.
- All purpose flour (3 tablespoons): Cooked into the butter for 1 minute. This is what makes the sauce cling instead of slide.
- Chicken broth (3 cups): Goes in first and gets whisked smooth before the cream arrives. Low sodium if you have it.
- Heavy cream (2 cups): Full fat, no substitutions. Milk doesn’t have the body to hold this together.
- Parmesan cheese (2 cups, grated): From a block. See above. This is the one ingredient I’ll be annoying about.
- Garlic powder (½ teaspoon): On top of the fresh garlic, because why not. It fills in the background.
- Red pepper flakes (¼ teaspoon): Not enough to make it spicy. Just enough to keep 2 cups of cream from tasting flat.
- Fresh parsley (2 tablespoons, chopped): Goes on at the end. It’s not garnish, it’s the thing that cuts through all that richness.
How to Make Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Cook the pasta: Get your pasta water going first, because once the chicken hits the pan everything moves quickly. Salt it properly, bring it to a boil, and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain it, but scoop out about a cup of the pasta water before you do. You might not need it. You’ll be glad it’s sitting there.
Season and sear the chicken: While that’s happening, pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Dry chicken browns, wet chicken steams, so give it a proper going over with a paper towel. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high and cook the breasts whole, 6 to 7 minutes a side, until they’re golden and hit 165°F. Move them to a cutting board and leave them there. Resting isn’t idle time, it’s the chicken reabsorbing its own juices.
Cook the garlic in butter: Drop the heat to medium and melt the butter in that same skillet. Everything the chicken left stuck to the bottom is the foundation of this sauce, so don’t you dare wipe out that pan. Add the garlic and cook it about a minute, until your kitchen smells like the best version of itself. Keep your eyes on it. Burnt garlic goes bitter and there’s no saving a sauce once it does.
Make the roux: Sprinkle in the flour and stir for a minute, until it’s coating the garlic and has lost that raw flour smell.
Build the sauce: Now pour in the chicken broth slowly, whisking as you go so it stays smooth, then stir in the cream. Bring it to a gentle simmer and give it 4 to 5 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Add the Parmesan: Drop the heat to low before the cheese goes anywhere near that pan. Stir in the Parmesan a handful at a time, along with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, letting each handful melt before the next one goes in. This is the part that decides whether your sauce is silky or sandy, so take the extra 2 minutes.
Toss the pasta: Add the drained pasta right into the skillet and toss until every piece is coated. If it’s tighter than you’d like, loosen it with a splash of that reserved pasta water. Keep it saucy.
Slice and serve: Slice the rested chicken and lay it over the top, then spoon extra sauce generously over the slices. Scatter the parsley over everything and get it to the table while it’s hot.
Tips
- Take the pan off the boil before the cheese goes in. Cheese and high heat have never been friends.
- Taste before you add any salt at the end. Between the broth and the Parmesan, it’s usually exactly where it needs to be.
- Keep that reserved pasta water within arm’s reach until the very last second. Cream sauces tighten as they sit, and a splash of starchy water brings it right back.
- Slice the chicken across the grain. It matters more with breast than people think.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken thighs work in place of breasts. They take a few extra minutes and they’re far more forgiving if you get distracted, which in my kitchen is a real consideration.
- Any short pasta is fine. Shells, farfalle, and cavatappi all hold this sauce well.
- I haven’t tested these, so treat them as suggestions rather than part of the recipe, but this sauce takes additions easily. A few handfuls of spinach wilted in at the end, sautéed mushrooms, or sun dried tomatoes would all sit comfortably here.
Leftovers and Storage
Airtight container, fridge, up to 3 days.
The sauce thickens up a lot once it’s cold. That’s normal, nothing’s wrong. Reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of broth, milk, or cream, stirring as it warms so it comes back together.
Don’t freeze this one. Cream sauces separate on thawing and it never quite recovers.
What to Serve With It
This is rich, so keep everything around it light. A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette is honestly all it needs. Garlic bread if you want to go all the way in. Roasted broccoli or green beans if you want something with a bit of bite next to all that cream.
Try These Recipes Next
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Broccoli
- Creamy Beef and Shells
- Italian Pasta Salad
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne , or rotini pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the 12 ounces pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving about a cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, pat the 1½ pounds chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and cook the chicken whole for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through to 165°F (74°C). Transfer it to a cutting board to rest.
- Lower the heat to medium and melt the 5 tablespoons butter in the same skillet. Add the 8 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned, since burnt garlic turns bitter.
- Sprinkle in the 3 tablespoons flour and stir for 1 minute, until it coats the garlic and loses its raw smell. This is what thickens the sauce into something rich and creamy.
- Slowly pour in the 3 cups chicken broth while whisking to keep it smooth, then stir in the 2 cups heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the 2 cups Parmesan, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, a handful of cheese at a time, until melted and silky. Adding the cheese off the boil and in batches keeps the sauce smooth instead of grainy.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss until coated in the sauce, keeping it saucy. If it thickens too much, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water. There is plenty of sauce here on purpose, so you can spoon extra over and still have some to save.
- Slice the rested chicken breasts and arrange them over the top of the pasta. Spoon extra sauce generously over the sliced chicken. Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons parsley and serve right away, while it is hot and creamy.
Recipe Notes
- Grate your own Parmesan. Pre shredded Parmesan is coated with an anti caking agent that won’t melt properly, and it’s the number 1 reason cream sauces turn grainy. A block and a box grater is all it takes.
- Add the cheese off the boil. Drop the heat to low before the Parmesan goes in, and add it a handful at a time, letting each one melt before the next. High heat splits cheese and there’s no fixing it afterward.
- Rest the chicken before slicing. Give it at least 5 minutes on the cutting board. Slice it straight out of the pan and the juices end up on your board instead of in the chicken. Slice across the grain.
- Save the pasta water. Reserve about a cup before draining. Cream sauces tighten as they sit, and a splash of starchy water brings it back together in seconds.
- Taste before salting. Between the chicken broth and 2 cups of Parmesan, this usually doesn’t need any extra salt at the end.
- Storage. Airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens a lot when cold, which is normal. Reheat gently with a splash of broth, milk, or cream, stirring as it warms. I don’t recommend freezing it, cream sauces separate on thawing.
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
I wouldn’t. Milk doesn’t have the fat to hold this sauce together and it’s much more likely to split on you. Half and half gets you closer, but heavy cream is what this is built on.
Almost always one of 2 things. The pan was too hot when the cheese went in, or the Parmesan was pre shredded. Low heat and a block of real Parmesan fix it for good.
You can, but it’s genuinely best fresh.
You don’t need to do anything. But it’s called Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta and 8 cloves is what makes that name honest. Try it as written first.
Yes, and they’ll cook faster. Start checking at 4 minutes a side.
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