Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken and pasta coated in a rich garlic Parmesan cream sauce for a comforting weeknight 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)

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Set drained pasta aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, season the thinly sliced chicken breasts 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 slices in a single layer and cook for 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and 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 additional minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
05 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the heavy cream and whole milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer—do not boil. Gradually whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, allowing it to melt smoothly into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Stir in the dried Italian herbs if using.
06 - Add the drained pasta and seared chicken back into the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with freshly chopped parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the same pan you used for the chicken, so every bit of flavor gets folded right back in where it belongs.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but honestly takes less than an hour with ingredients you probably already have.
02 -
  • If you add the Parmesan to a screaming hot pan it will seize and turn clumpy instead of melting smoothly, so always temper the heat first.
  • The sauce thickens as it sits off the heat, so serve promptly or have that pasta water ready to loosen it when you reheat.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for two minutes after searing before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto your cutting board.
  • Grate the Parmesan as finely as you can manage, because finer shreds melt faster and produce a smoother sauce.

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