Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken and fettuccine smothered in a velvety garlic-Parmesan cream sauce, ready in 40 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb), sliced into strips
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz fettuccine or penne pasta
→ Dairy
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3.5 oz)
06 - 1/2 cup whole milk
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
→ Pantry Staples
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# How to Prepare:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken strips dry and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken strips in a single layer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the same skillet along with the minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden. Do not let it brown.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream and milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then gradually whisk in the Parmesan cheese a handful at a time until fully melted and the sauce is silky smooth.
06 - Add the drained pasta and seared chicken back into the skillet. Toss everything together, coating the pasta and chicken evenly in the sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add the reserved pasta water a splash at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. Season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
07 - Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, toss gently one last time, and serve immediately. Garnish each portion with additional grated Parmesan and a few parsley leaves.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in the same pan you cook the chicken in, so every bit of flavor gets used and cleanup stays minimal.
- It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but requires zero special skills to pull off at home.
02 -
- If you add the Parmesan to a boiling sauce it will clump and separate, so keep the heat at a gentle simmer and whisk patiently.
- That reserved pasta water is liquid gold because the starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
- Grate your own Parmesan from a wedge because the pre grated version will leave your sauce grainy no matter how long you whisk it.
- Do not wash the skillet after searing the chicken because those browned bits on the bottom are where a huge amount of the flavor lives.