Quick Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printable)

One-pan dish featuring tender chicken, garlic, creamy Parmesan sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta for busy nights.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1.1 lbs)

→ 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 tbsp unsalted butter (30 g)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

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

→ Stock & Seasonings

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

→ Oil

13 - 1 tbsp olive oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - Add chicken pieces, season with salt, pepper, and half the Italian seasoning. Sauté until golden and cooked through, about 4–5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
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, about 10–12 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy and the cheese has melted.
06 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, toss to coat, and heat through for 1–2 minutes.
07 - Stir in chopped parsley and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It's genuinely fast without tasting rushed, and there's real comfort in watching cream transform into silk around warm pasta.
  • One skillet means less cleanup, which honestly changes how often you'll actually make dinner.
  • The garlic-butter foundation is so good you'll find yourself making it for other things too.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of actually tasting before the final seasoning—the broth and cheese are salty, and it's easier to add salt than to fix over-salted pasta.
  • The cream and cheese will seize and become grainy if the heat is too high when you add them, so lower it to low and stir gently until everything is smooth.
  • If your sauce feels too thin at the end, it's because there's still too much liquid—keep simmering on low for another minute or two and it will tighten up.
03 -
  • If you're making this for someone who's particular about texture, undercook the pasta by about a minute—it will continue cooking slightly in the residual heat and broth.
  • The pasta truly becomes the sauce here because of the starch release, so resist the urge to drain it too early or add more broth thinking it's not enough.
Go Back