By Creamy Garlic Butter Parmesan Chicken Pasta: A Quick and Easy Family Dinner
Looking for a comforting meal that won’t take all evening?
Many creamy pasta recipes use heavy creams, complicated techniques, or several very specific ingredients which isn’t the best when you need dinner right now. This one remains a classic, simple, and essential to your weekday dinner rotation. Chicken with garlic butter, parmesan, and pasta are combined in one skillet for an easy but quite rich dinner that even busy nights won’t let you down.
Remember this dish for your pasta night so you can have it on hand when the time comes.
What Is Creamy Garlic Butter Parmesan Chicken Pasta?
Creamy garlic butter parmesan chicken pasta is a delicious main course that combines seasoned chicken, pasta, garlic, butter, cream, and parmesan cheese. Rich and satisfying, it only takes around 30 minutes to prepare it.
It’s the cozy food kind of dinner that isn’t too involved. The garlic butter is the main component of the flavor, the parmesan cheese contributes to the creamy and savory sauce, while the chicken meat makes the dish filling enough for a complete meal.
If you’re into quick and easy healthy meals, this is definitely a recipe you’ll want to include on your list of favorites.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This pasta is a hit because it both maintains a minimal ingredient list and delivers bold flavor to your plate.
It’s a great recipe for novices, still, it tastes like something you’d be served in a nice restaurant.
- Easy to prepare, only takes about 30 minutes to make
- Loaded with protein, makes meal hearty and satisfying
- Good for the whole family, mild and rich enough for everyone
- Great for meal prep, tastes like freshly made after reheating, even better than other cream-based pasta dishes
- Versatile, can add more veggies or change proteins quite easily
Featured Snippet: What Is Garlic Butter Parmesan Chicken Pasta?
Garlic butter parmesan chicken pasta is a creamy skillet dinner made with chicken, pasta, garlic, butter, cream, and parmesan cheese. It is a fast 30-minute dinner that blends the indulgent taste, soft chicken, and a creamy smooth sauce to make a simple family dinner.
Key Ingredients and Smart Substitutions
Here is a list of ingredients for this recipe, and each one is being chosen for a specific purpose.
Picking the right type of ingredients improves the sauce’s smoothness and the chicken’s taste.
Chicken Breast
Chicken breast helps keep this dish lighter yet with a high content of protein.
For obtaining the best texture, use the boneless and skinless chicken breast.
- Main choice, chicken breast cut thinly
- Alternative, chicken thighs if you want something more juicy
- Tip for cooking, cutting the pieces as uniform as possible for even cooking
Pasta
Pasta carries the creamy sauce and unifies all components of the dish.
Short pasta is the most suitable type here.
- Main choice, penne or rotini
- Alternative, fettuccine or rigatoni
- Tip for cooking, cooking it al dente to avoid softening too much later
Garlic
Fresh garlic is what gives the most prominent flavor to the sauce.
This is one of the most crucial ingredients here.
- Main choice, fresh minced garlic
- Alternative, garlic paste
- Tip for cooking, cook only until it becomes fragrant, not browned
Heavy Cream
Heavy cream is the base that makes the sauce creamy.
It is responsible for making the sauce deliciously rich and velvety smooth.
- Main choice, heavy cream full-fat
- Alternative, half-and-half if a lighter texture is desired
- Tip for cooking, after adding, keep the heat low
Parmesan Cheese
Obviously, fresh parmesan cheese melts very well and will assist in keeping the sauce smooth.
On the other hand, pre-shredded cheese may make the sauce grainy.
- The best choice, fresh parmesan cheese grated
- Use a Pecorino Romano cheese instead
- Pro tip, add the cheese gradually while stirring
Recipe Card
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 Calories: Approx. 620 per serving
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts without skin and bone, sliced
- 8 ounces of penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- Fresh parsley for garnish
How to Make Creamy Garlic Butter Parmesan Chicken Pasta
This recipe comes together quickly especially after everything is simmering and the ingredients start to align.
Preparing and organizing all your ingredients in advance is a definite time saver, and makes the cooking more enjoyable too.
Cook the pasta Firstly- bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook your pasta al dente. Before pouring out water, save ½ cup of pasta water. This trick will come handy if later on you find your sauce needs loosening.
Season the chicken– Mix your sliced chicken pieces well with the garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. A good coating adds flavor in every bite.
Cook the chicken– Drizzle a spoonful of olive oil in a large skillet and place it over a medium heat. After the oil heats, add the pieces of chicken and continue cooking till they are nicely golden and fully cooked which should take about 6-8 minutes. Allowing the chicken to sit for a minute before turning, will help in developing a more appealing color.
Build the garlic butter base– Turn the heat down a bit and in the same skillet melt the butter.
After the butter has melted- add minced garlic to it and stir for approximately 30 seconds until the aroma is released.
Add the cream- Gently stir in the heavy cream and let it come up to temperature for 2-3 minutes without boiling.
Add the parmesan– Incorporate parmesan gradually while continually stirring until it is totally melted and the texture is velvety. You can always add a bit of pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
Mix all together– Pour your cooked pasta into the skillet and continue tossing until every piece is nicely coated. Add the chicken and stir slightly.
Final touch and serve– Finish off with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of more parmesan cheese. Serve while the sauce is still rich and creamy.
If you’d like the printable recipe along with 5 easy pasta dinners, just write PASTA in the comments and I’ll send it to you within 24-48 hours.
Tips for the Best Results
It is the little things that can really change the whole outcome. So here are some tips that typically assist the most.
- Use fresh parmesan-since it melts more nicely than the pre-packed one.
- Save some pasta water– as it will come handy if you want to quickly thin down a very thick sauce.
- If the cooking area is not large enough– to spread out the chicken pieces, cook the chicken in batches as stacking the pieces will create steam.
- Keep the sauce at a low– temperature because a cream sauce heated at a high temperature can separate.
- Do a final taste check– as parmesan is quite salty, so you may want to add the salt last.
My experience shows that it is best when you toss the pasta into the sauce immediately while it is still warm. This makes it easier for everything to stick together.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Minor mistakes can sometimes totally alter the texture.
Here is a list of the most frequent ones.
- Using pre-shredded cheese- it often results in a grainy sauce
- Boiling the cream- may lead to separation
- Overcooking the pasta- results in mushiness after stirring
- Drying out the chicken- it’s best to just cook until done
Easy Variations and Swaps
You can easily modify this recipe depending on what is available in the kitchen.
This feature makes it very convenient for those nights when time is really scarce.
Change Protein
- Shrimp- it is very quick to cook and helps make the dish lighter
- Chicken thighs- they tend to remain juicy and flavor-wise, they are more intense
- Salmon- perfectly fine if going for a protein that is more indulgent
Throw in Some Vegetables
- Spinach- very easy and fast to cook
- Broccoli- brings a new texture and a nice contrast
- Mushrooms- a good match for a parmesan sauce
- Peas- simply open the freezer and get them out
Spice It Up
- Red pepper flakes- simple way to add a kick of spice
- Cajun seasoning- strong and bold flavor that is also spicy
- Blackened seasoning- brings smoky heat and spice
For more easy high protein meals, creamy skillet dishes like this one can provide a perfect base to build your meal.
What to Serve With This Pasta
This pasta alone is quite satiating, yet lighter sides would complement its richness and make a full meal.
A rather basic side dish will prevent the dinner from becoming overly dense.
Here are some of the best serving options:
- Garlic bread
- Roasted broccoli
- Caesar salad
- Green beans
- Side salad with lemon dressing
Have it with lighter, healthy beverages to help offset the creaminess.
This recipe is suitable for your weekly meal prep as well because it keeps well.
Storage and Reheating
If you want to keep the ultimate fres freshness of your pasta, you may consider the creaminess of the sauce.
If you want to retain quality, add the necessary moisture each time you warm it up.
Refrigerate
Keep your leftovers in an airtight box for up to 4 days.
Make sure it is completely cooled when put away.
Freeze
Keep in separate portions in the freezer for up to 2 months.
For the best texture, a freezer safe container should be used.
Reheat on the Stovetop (Best Method)
Put pasta in a frying pan with a little milk, cream or water.
Stir often while warming at low heat for 4, 5 minutes.
This ensures the sauce remains creamy.
Microwave (Quick Option)
Let it microwave in 30 second bursts.
Mix it up between each round.
Beforehand, add some liquid to stop it getting dry.
Extra Reheating Tip
You can freshen the sauce and get a better after-reheat texture by sprinkling parmesan cheese on top just before serving.
FAQ
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Certainly. They can be more tender and flavorful.
What pasta works best?
Penne, rotini and fettuccine are great options for this dish.
Can I make this ahead?
Absolutely.
It stores well and reheats nicely.
Why did my parmesan sauce turn grainy?
Most often the cause is exposure to high heat and/or the type of cheese that people often use.
Can I freeze it?
Absolutely.
Freeze individual portions that are sealed tight to make reheating easier.
What pasta shape do you usually cook with? Penne or fettuccine?
More Recipes You May Like
Love quick family meals? Then check out these super easy recipes that you can regularly rotate in your weeknight dinners:
- High protein chicken rice bowls
- Healthy baked chicken recipes
- Easy meal prep pasta bowls
- Quick healthy dinner skillets
- Healthy breakfast recipes for busy mornings
Final Thoughts
This creamy garlic butter parmesan chicken pasta is a versatile dish that you can pull out of the hat anytime you need something quick, satisfying, and dependable.
You can trust that this recipe is easy enough to make on a busy evening but it also represents comfort food to a large extent.
If you’ve tried this, please don’t forget to drop a comment and a star rating below. It would be great to know your feedback.