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Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Garlic Parmesan chicken pasta with a silky garlic-Parmesan cream sauce that clings to every strand. Golden sliced chicken sits on top, finished with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan for a restaurant-style weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 750
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste
Pasta
  • 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine, cooked (reserve 1 cup pasta water)
Sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Fresh basil and extra Parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the chicken
  1. Season the boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F, then rest and slice thin.
Make the garlic Parmesan cream sauce
  1. In the same skillet, cook the minced garlic in butter over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  2. Stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time to reach a silky consistency.
Toss and serve
  1. Toss the cooked spaghetti or fettuccine in the garlic Parmesan sauce until every strand is coated and glossy.
  2. Divide the pasta among plates and top with the sliced chicken.
  3. Garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan for serving so the shavings fall across the top.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, keep the heat at a steady simmer and add pasta water gradually until the sauce coats the pasta without pooling. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of cream or broth to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can separate. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half and reduce simmer time by 1 minute while stirring more often.