Description
Creamy, garlicky chicken and pasta in under 30 minutes? This recipe will be your new weeknight hero when the dinner struggle gets real.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ pounds (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 oz (225g) fettuccine or pasta of choice
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¾ cup (180ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
- Reduce heat to medium and add 4 tablespoons butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Italian herbs and red pepper flakes. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom.
- Let broth reduce for 2 minutes, then stir in heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Gradually add Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water.
- Add drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Return chicken to the pan and gently fold it in.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and let it melt into the dish. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese before serving immediately.