Description

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken with Cheesy Twisted Pasta is a delicious and comforting one-pan meal featuring tender, seared chicken breasts smothered in a rich garlic Parmesan sauce, served alongside perfectly cooked twisted pasta. This dish combines savory flavors with creamy textures, making it a perfect dinner for any night of the week.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or about 1¼ lb chicken thighs)
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Sauce

3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1¼ cups heavy cream
1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Pasta

12 oz twisted pasta (rotini, fusilli, or cavatappi)

Garnish

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Prep and Season Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper to enhance flavor.
Sear Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 °F. Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest.
Sauté Garlic: Lower the heat to medium and melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter in the same skillet. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Build Sauce: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet bottom for extra flavor. Stir in the heavy cream and let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy, about 2 more minutes. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
Cook Pasta: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the twisted pasta until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
Combine: Slice the rested chicken breasts and return them to the skillet with the sauce. Add the cooked pasta and toss everything together to coat evenly with the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce. Use reserved pasta water as needed to adjust the sauce consistency.
Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the dish for a burst of color and freshness. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy your creamy, cheesy, and savory meal.

Notes

For extra flavor, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead of pre-grated.
If chicken thighs are used, adjust cooking time slightly as thighs may need a bit longer.
Reserve pasta water to thin the sauce if it becomes too thick.
To make it lighter, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or milk, but the sauce will be less rich.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Searing, simmering, boiling
Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1 chicken breast with pasta)
Calories: 620 kcal
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 700 mg
Fat: 38 g
Saturated Fat: 21 g
Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 38 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 42 g
Cholesterol: 160 mg

Keywords: garlic Parmesan chicken, creamy chicken pasta, twisted pasta recipe, cheesy chicken pasta, one pan chicken dinner