Quick Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printable)

A flavorful one-pan dish featuring garlic, Parmesan, chicken, and creamy sauce with tender pasta.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 10 ounces penne or rotini pasta

→ Dairy

03 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
04 - ½ cup heavy cream
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Stock & Seasonings

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

→ Oil

13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Warm olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - Add chicken pieces, season with salt, pepper, and half of the Italian seasoning. Sauté until golden and cooked through, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, cook onion for 2 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional 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 to 12 minutes.
05 - Lower heat to low, then stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until sauce is creamy and cheese is melted.
06 - Return chicken to the skillet, toss to coat, and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Stir in chopped parsley, adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired. Serve hot garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one pan, which means fewer dishes and more time to actually eat while the food is hot.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta and chicken in a way that feels indulgent without keeping you in the kitchen for hours.
  • It tastes like you fussed over it, but your actual effort is laughably minimal.
02 -
  • Freshly grated Parmesan is the difference between a silky sauce and one that looks separated and grainy—this is worth the 30 seconds it takes to grate it yourself.
  • Cooking the pasta directly in the broth means the starch stays in the sauce and thickens it naturally, so you end up with something creamy from the pasta itself, not just the cream.
03 -
  • Don't walk away while the pasta simmers—stir it every couple of minutes so it doesn't stick to the bottom and scorch, which would add a bitter note to the entire dish.
  • The moment you see the cream start to break or look separated, turn the heat way down; Parmesan sauce is delicate once it's hot, and scrambling it is the one real mistake you can make here.
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