Easy Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta – Creamy 30-Minute Dinner

The first thing you'll notice is the sound: chicken hitting a hot skillet with a sharp, promising sizzle, followed a minute later by garlic softening in butter and filling your kitchen with that warm, nutty perfume. That smell is your cue that dinner is already going right.

This is the pasta I make when the day has been long and I want something creamy and comforting without a sink full of pans. Everything happens in one skillet, the sauce comes together from the chicken's own browned bits, and the Parmesan does the heavy lifting so you barely need seasoning.

You'll know it's ready when the sauce clings to each strand instead of pooling at the bottom of the pan. Grab a piece of chicken, check it's 165°F (74°C) inside, and call everyone to the table.

About the Ingredients

12 oz (340g) penne or rigatoni pasta

Short tubes trap the creamy sauce beautifully. If you only have spaghetti, save a full cup of pasta water because long noodles need a looser sauce to coat evenly.

1 1/2 lb (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

Thighs work just as well and stay juicier if you tend to overcook chicken. Pat the pieces bone-dry before searing so they brown instead of steam.

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water

Kosher salt seasons gently and evenly. If you're using fine table salt, start with 1 tsp and taste before adding more.

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Fresh-cracked pepper blooms in the hot pan. Pre-ground works in a pinch but add it with the garlic so it doesn't burn.

3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided

Butter gives the sauce its round, glossy finish. Olive oil can stand in for one tablespoon if you want a slightly nuttier edge.

1 tbsp olive oil

The oil keeps the butter from scorching at searing heat. Avocado oil is a great swap if your pan runs hot.

6 garlic cloves, finely minced

Fresh garlic is non-negotiable here since it's the star. Jarred minced garlic is fine in a rush, but use 1 tbsp and add it off the heat so it doesn't turn bitter.

1 cup (240ml) heavy cream

Heavy cream thickens without flour and won't split. For a lighter version, use half-and-half but simmer 2 minutes longer to reduce.

1 1/4 cups (125g) freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Grate it yourself from a block; pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch and clumps instead of melting. Pecorino Romano is a sharper, saltier substitute, so reduce the added salt.

1/2 cup (120ml) reserved pasta water

This starchy water is your sauce insurance. If you forget to reserve it, a splash of hot tap water plus a teaspoon of butter does the trick.

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Parsley adds a fresh green bite against all that cream. Basil or a pinch of red pepper flakes works if parsley isn't on hand.

Tips & Tricks

Dry the Chicken First

Moisture is the enemy of browning, so pat the pieces dry and give them space in the pan or they'll simmer in their own juices.

Grate Your Own Parmesan

Freshly grated cheese melts into a smooth sauce, while bagged shredded cheese turns grainy and stringy.

Add Cheese Off the Heat

Stir Parmesan in with the burner off so it emulsifies instead of clumping into rubbery threads.

Season the Pasta Water Like the Sea

Salting the water generously is the only chance the pasta itself gets seasoned, and it makes the final sauce taste fuller.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Boil the pasta

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta 1 minute shy of the package time. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.

2. Sear the chicken

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (375°F/190°C) until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a plate.

3. Soften the garlic

Lower the heat to medium (300°F/150°C), melt 2 tablespoons of butter, and add the garlic. Stir constantly for 45 to 60 seconds until fragrant and pale gold, not brown, which would turn it bitter.

4. Build the sauce

Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer, about 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. You want small bubbles at the edges, not a hard boil.

5. Melt in the Parmesan

Turn off the heat and whisk in the Parmesan a handful at a time until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Taste and stir in the salt and pepper.

6. Toss everything together

Add the pasta and chicken back to the skillet with 1/2 cup of pasta water and the last tablespoon of butter. Toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce coats every piece and no liquid pools at the bottom.

7. Garnish and serve

Scatter the parsley over the top and finish with extra Parmesan. Serve immediately while the sauce is at its silkiest.

Delicious Variations

Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach

Fold in 1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes and 2 handfuls of baby spinach at the end for a tangy, colorful twist.

Spicy Cajun Chicken

Season the chicken with 1 tsp each smoked paprika and cayenne before searing for a smoky, spicy kick.

Lemon Herb Parmesan

Swap the cream for 3/4 cup half-and-half and finish with the zest and juice of half a lemon for a brighter, lighter sauce.

How to Store Easy Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Frequently Asked Questions

Give this one-pan chicken garlic Parmesan pasta a try tonight and let the smell of garlic in butter do the convincing. If you make it, tell me which variation you picked, and taste as you go, then taste again.

Easy Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Easy Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta is a creamy one-pan dinner with golden seared chicken, mellow roasted garlic, and nutty Parmesan in 50 minutes.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

15 minPrep time35 minCook time6Servings612 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 12 oz (340g) penne or rigatoni pasta
• 1 1/2 lb (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups (125g) freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup (120ml) reserved pasta water
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

📋 Instructions

1. 1Boil the pasta — Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta 1 minute shy of the package time. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
2. 2Sear the chicken — Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (375°F/190°C) until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a plate.
3. 3Soften the garlic — Lower the heat to medium (300°F/150°C), melt 2 tablespoons of butter, and add the garlic. Stir constantly for 45 to 60 seconds until fragrant and pale gold, not brown, which would turn it bitter.
4. 4Build the sauce — Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer, about 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. You want small bubbles at the edges, not a hard boil.
5. 5Melt in the Parmesan — Turn off the heat and whisk in the Parmesan a handful at a time until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Taste and stir in the salt and pepper.
6. 6Toss everything together — Add the pasta and chicken back to the skillet with 1/2 cup of pasta water and the last tablespoon of butter. Toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce coats every piece and no liquid pools at the bottom.
7. 7Garnish and serve — Scatter the parsley over the top and finish with extra Parmesan. Serve immediately while the sauce is at its silkiest.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: Grate the Parmesan on the fine side of your grater; it melts faster and gives a silkier sauce than coarse shreds.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American-Italian

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 612 kcal · 38g protein · 46g carbs · 32g fat

Written by Priya Raghunathan

Priya writes about South Indian home cooking and the improvisation that happens in real kitchens, from quick weekday tiffins to slow weekend spreads. She is interested in how a single tempering of spices changes a dish and in adapting familiar recipes to what a cook has on hand. Her angle is playful, sensory recipe writing that treats cooking as something to tinker with.