There are nights when I open the fridge, stare at the same chicken breasts I bought three days ago, and think: not again. I have been there more times than I can count. But then I discovered that if you sear those chicken breasts until they are deeply golden and toss them with a ridiculously easy garlic Parmesan cream sauce, suddenly that boring Tuesday chicken becomes the best thing on the table. Jake literally stopped mid-bite the first time I made this and said, “This tastes like something from a restaurant.” That is when I knew this recipe was going on the blog.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is a creamy, comforting, and incredibly easy weeknight dinner made completely from scratch in under 40 minutes. Juicy pan-seared chicken breasts, al dente penne pasta, and a velvety homemade garlic Parmesan cream sauce come together in one pan for a meal the whole family will ask for on repeat. Simple enough for a beginner, impressive enough for company, and satisfying enough to make everyone forget it only took 40 minutes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant Quality at Home: The garlic Parmesan cream sauce tastes like something you would pay $25 for at an Italian restaurant. Nobody will believe you made it in 40 minutes.
- Simple Pantry Ingredients: Chicken, pasta, garlic, butter, cream, and Parmesan. You probably already have everything you need in your kitchen right now.
- Kid-Approved: Lily eats this without a single complaint. Noah asks for seconds. That alone makes this recipe priceless in my house.
- Ready in 40 Minutes: From the moment you pull out the cutting board to the moment you sit down. Faster than delivery and a thousand times better.
- Leftovers Are Amazing: This pasta reheats beautifully. The sauce soaks into the penne overnight and honestly might taste even better the next day.
Ingredients You'll Need
The beauty of this recipe is the short ingredient list. Everything here works together to build layers of flavor without any complicated techniques or hard-to-find items.
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 500g / 1.1 lb) — butterfly them for even cooking
- 1 tsp garlic powder / ½ tsp onion powder / ½ tsp salt / ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil — for searing the chicken
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter — the base of the cream sauce
- 6 garlic cloves, minced — fresh garlic is non-negotiable here
- 240ml (1 cup) chicken broth — use low-sodium so you control the salt
- 240ml (1 cup) heavy cream — full-fat for the richest sauce
- 100g (1 cup) freshly grated Parmesan — grate it yourself from a wedge
- 350g (12 oz) penne pasta — rigatoni works beautifully too
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Fresh parsley, chopped — for finishing
- Extra Parmesan for serving
A few notes on the key ingredients:
The Parmesan is the most important ingredient in this sauce. Please use a real wedge of Parmesan and grate it yourself. The pre-shredded bags contain anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly. You will end up with grainy, clumpy sauce instead of that silky restaurant finish. Two minutes with a grater makes all the difference.
Heavy cream is essential for the thick, velvety texture. Half-and-half will work in a pinch but the sauce will be noticeably thinner. Do not use milk — it will not hold up and the sauce will break.
Note: Use low-sodium chicken broth specifically. Regular broth can make the finished sauce too salty once it reduces with the Parmesan. The cheese itself is quite salty, so starting with low-sodium broth gives you full control over the seasoning.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
This recipe comes together in stages but everything builds on itself. The chicken flavors the pan, the sauce builds on those flavors, and everything comes together at the end.
Step 1: Season and sear the chicken.
Pat the chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and cooked through to 74°C (165°F). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Lora’s Tip: Patting the chicken dry is the single most important step. Wet chicken steams instead of searing, and you will never get that beautiful golden crust. I keep a whole roll of paper towels next to me when I cook chicken.
Step 2: Cook the pasta.
While the chicken rests, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the penne until just barely al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directions. Reserve half a cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
Step 3: Build the cream sauce.
In the same skillet you cooked the chicken in — do not clean it, those brown bits are flavor gold — melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
Lora’s Tip: Those brown bits on the bottom of the pan after searing the chicken are called fond, and they are pure concentrated flavor. Do not waste them. The broth lifts them right off the pan and they dissolve into the sauce.
Step 4: Add the cream.
Pour in the heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Stir gently and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil hard or it can break.
Step 5: Finish with Parmesan.
Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan a handful at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is fully melted before adding more. The sauce should be thick, glossy, and incredibly silky.
Lora’s Tip: Always add the Parmesan off the heat. If the sauce is too hot, the cheese seizes up and turns clumpy instead of melting into that beautiful creamy consistency. Patience here is everything.
Step 6: Combine everything.
Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce and toss until every piece of penne is coated. Slice the rested chicken and arrange it on top. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it. Top with extra Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Lora's Kitchen Tips
- Pat the chicken bone dry. This is the difference between golden, crispy chicken and pale, steamed chicken. Two minutes with paper towels saves the entire dish.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. I will keep saying this until everyone listens. Pre-shredded Parmesan has anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy. Grate your own from a wedge.
- Save that pasta water. The starchy cooking water is liquid gold for cream sauces. It helps the sauce cling to the pasta and gives you the perfect consistency every time.
- Don't skip the chicken rest. Let it sit for 5 full minutes after searing. This keeps all the juices inside the meat instead of running out onto the cutting board.
- Keep the simmer gentle. Aggressive boiling will break the cream sauce. Medium-low heat and patience give you that velvety, restaurant-quality finish every time.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe is endlessly customizable for different tastes and dietary needs:
Make it gluten-free: Swap the penne for your favorite gluten-free pasta. The sauce itself is naturally gluten-free.
Lighter version: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. The sauce will be thinner but still delicious. You can also use chicken thighs for a richer flavor.
Add vegetables: Stir in a big handful of baby spinach when you add the pasta — it wilts into the sauce beautifully. Sun-dried tomatoes, roasted broccoli, or sautéed mushrooms all work wonderfully.
Spice it up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce or a squeeze of lemon juice right before serving for brightness.
Make it ahead: The sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store it separately and reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth to loosen.
What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
This pasta is a complete meal on its own, but if you want to round things out, a simple green salad with arugula, cherry tomatoes, and a bright lemon vinaigrette is the perfect contrast to the rich, creamy sauce. The peppery arugula and acidic dressing cut right through the richness.
Garlic bread is a no-brainer alongside this. Slice a crusty baguette, brush with garlic butter, and broil for 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Jake eats more garlic bread than pasta most nights, and I have made peace with that. [INTERNAL LINK PLACEHOLDER: link to a garlic bread recipe]
For something lighter, steamed asparagus or roasted broccolini with a squeeze of lemon and flaky salt adds color and crunch without competing with the main dish.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Storage: Let the pasta cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens as it chills but loosens right up when reheated with a splash of broth.
- Freezing: This freezes well for up to 2 months. Store the sauce and chicken separately from the pasta for the best texture when thawed. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat gently: Warm in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth or milk. Stir gently until the sauce comes back to life. Do not microwave on high — it can break the cream sauce.
- Even better next day: Like most cream pasta dishes, the flavors deepen overnight as the sauce soaks into every piece of penne. Leftovers are genuinely incredible.
- Meal prep tip: Cook the sauce and chicken on Sunday, store separately. Cook fresh pasta when ready to eat for the best texture all week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the questions I get asked most about this garlic Parmesan chicken pasta:
Why did my sauce turn grainy?
This almost always means the sauce was too hot when you added the Parmesan. Always remove the skillet from heat first, then stir in the cheese gradually. Pre-shredded Parmesan is the other common culprit — use freshly grated from a wedge.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Absolutely. Chicken thighs have more fat and flavor, so they are actually more forgiving if you overcook them slightly. Sear them the same way and adjust cooking time — thighs may need an extra minute or two per side.
Can I make this without heavy cream?
Half-and-half will work but the sauce will be noticeably thinner and less rich. You can also try full-fat coconut cream for a dairy-free version, though the flavor will be slightly different. Regular milk will not hold up — the sauce will be too thin and may break.
What pasta shape works best?
Penne and rigatoni are ideal because the cream sauce gets trapped inside the tubes. Fusilli and farfalle also work well. Avoid long thin pasta like spaghetti — the thick cream sauce needs something with surface area to cling to.
Can I add vegetables to this?
Yes! Baby spinach wilted into the sauce is my favorite addition. Sun-dried tomatoes, roasted broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, or artichoke hearts all work beautifully without competing with the garlic Parmesan flavor.
This garlic Parmesan chicken pasta is one of those recipes that makes you feel like you really have dinner figured out. Rich, creamy, simple, and on the table in 40 minutes. Make it this week, watch every plate come back clean, and let me know how your family liked it. I already know the answer.
With love and way too much Parmesan,
Lora x
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
4
servings10
minutes30
minutes620
kcalIngredients
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 500g / 1.1 lb)
1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
240ml (1 cup) chicken broth
240ml (1 cup) heavy cream
100g (1 cup) freshly grated Parmesan
1 tsp Italian seasoning
350g (12 oz) penne pasta
Fresh parsley, chopped
Extra Parmesan for serving
Directions
Season chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Sear in olive oil 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked to 74°C (165°F). Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
Cook penne in salted boiling water until just al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits. Simmer 2-3 minutes.
Add heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Simmer gently 4-5 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan a handful at a time until fully melted and silky smooth.
Toss pasta in sauce. Add pasta water if needed. Top with sliced chicken, extra Parmesan, and fresh parsley.
