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Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Garlic Parmesan chicken pasta with a silky garlic-Parmesan cream sauce coats every strand of spaghetti for a quick, weeknight easy pasta dinner. Golden sliced chicken sits on top, finished with fresh basil and generously shaved Parmesan.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Use for golden, sliced topping.
Seasonings for chicken
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste.
  • 0.25 tsp pepper To taste.
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder To taste.
  • 0.25 tsp Italian seasoning To taste.
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For searing the chicken.
Spaghetti or fettuccine
  • 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine Cooked; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Pasta water
  • 1 cup pasta water Reserved from boiling; use to adjust sauce consistency.
Garlic
  • 5 cloves garlic Minced.
Butter
  • 3 tbsp butter For garlic butter base.
Heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream Creates the creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce.
Chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth Loosens the sauce and adds depth.
Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese Freshly grated; plus extra for serving.
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning For the sauce.
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes Optional heat.
Fresh basil
  • 1 fresh basil For garnish.
Extra Parmesan for serving
  • 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese Shaved or extra grated to finish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook and slice the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F.
  2. Remove the chicken, rest briefly, and slice thin so it’s ready to pile on top of the pasta.
Make the garlic Parmesan cream sauce
  1. In the same skillet, cook the minced garlic in butter over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  3. Stir in Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes until smooth, then add pasta water as needed for the sauce to coat the noodles.
Toss and serve
  1. Toss the cooked spaghetti or fettuccine in the garlic Parmesan sauce until glossy and evenly coated.
  2. Divide the pasta among plates, then top each portion with the sliced chicken.
  3. Garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan so the finish looks and tastes bright.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve pasta water and add it gradually—this helps the cream sauce turn silky and cling to the spaghetti. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream may separate. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly less thick but still flavorful).