Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken in a rich garlic Parmesan cream sauce with fettuccine, ready in 40 minutes for a comforting family dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz fettuccine or penne pasta

→ Dairy

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - ½ cup heavy cream
05 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - ⅓ cup whole milk

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Pantry & Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Set the drained pasta aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, season the chicken breast slices generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken in a single layer and cook for 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
04 - In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 2 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
05 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the heavy cream and milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer — do not boil. Gradually whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese, allowing it to melt smoothly into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with the reserved pasta water, adding a splash at a time. Sprinkle in the Italian herbs if using.
06 - Add the drained pasta and cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated in the creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Transfer to warm serving plates or bowls immediately. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every single strand of pasta like it was meant to be there, and once you taste it you will understand why people go back for seconds before finishing their first plate.
  • It uses ingredients you probably already have sitting in your fridge and pantry, which means no emergency grocery store runs on a tired Tuesday evening.
02 -
  • If you add the Parmesan over high heat it will seize and turn clumpy instead of melting into that velvety sauce you are after, so always keep the heat at medium or lower when incorporating cheese.
  • The sauce will thicken as it sits off the heat, so if you are not serving immediately add a splash of pasta water before reheating to bring it back to life.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for at least three minutes after searing before you slice it or add it back to the pan, because carrying it straight from the heat locks in juices that would otherwise run out and leave the meat dry.
  • The single biggest secret to a smooth sauce is removing the pan from direct heat for about thirty seconds before you start adding the Parmesan, because a slightly cooler pan prevents the proteins in the cheese from separating and turning gritty.

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