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This Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken is creamy, cheesy, and packed with bold garlic flavor, basically everything you want in a cozy weeknight dinner. Juicy and tender chicken take it to the next level, while a rich sauce made with heavy cream, cream cheese, and parmesan clings to every bite.
If you love an easy pasta dinner, check out more of my pasta recipes – baked chicken and broccoli alfredo, creamy salmon pasta and chicken marsala fettuccine!
It’s been a while since I’ve released an easy chicken pasta recipe and let’s be clear – this one is pretty epic. It’s rich, creamy, cheesy, and packed with bold garlic flavor that hits every single time. The parmesan sauce is dreamy and velvety, made with butter, garlic, cream, and a generous handful of parmesan.
This garlic parmesan pasta with chicken is straight-up comfort food goals! The seasoned, golden brown, juicy chicken takes it over the top — tender, flavorful, and perfect with every twirl of pasta. Woo!
It’s the kind of dinner that feels a little fancy but is secretly super easy to pull together.
Best part? It’s a pretty quick cook time and has nothing but simple ingredients so this recipe is easy to incorporate into your regular rotation. Serve it with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, maybe a glass of wine, and you’re basically winning dinner. This one’s a crowd-pleaser the whole family will love every single time!
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
(full recipe and list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Chicken Tenderloins or Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs stay nice and tender while cooking due to their higher fat content. Plus, they soak up all that garlicky, cheesy goodness like a dream! Make my slow cooker chicken spaghetti or my lemon chicken orzo with any leftovers!
- We’re using a ton of fresh garlic cloves – like a lot. I’m talking 8 cloves, because for all intents and purposes, this is a garlic pasta recipe right?! So garlic lovers, this one’s for you.
- Heavy cream and cream cheese adds a rich, silky texture to the cream sauce – giving it extra creaminess and a subtle tang.
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese will give the sauce the best flavor.
- Dry White Wine, like a sauvignon blanc or chardonnay, and lemon juice add a little acidity that helps to cut some of the richness of the sauce. I also do this with my lemon caper pasta and it’s SO good.
- Any long pasta shape works here – this includes fettuccine, linguine, even angel hair pasta — the sauce coats the pasta You can also use penne pasta or rigatoni if you prefer a pasta with smaller bite.
- Chicken Bouillon Paste adds extra flavor to the parmesan garlic sauce.
- Shallots add a mild, slightly sweet onion flavor. If you don’t have any, red onion works in a pinch!
- A little bit of flour helps to thicken the sauce. If you’re gluten free, you can use 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp of water instead.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- If you don’t want to use wine, you can sub it out for chicken broth.
- Add in fresh spinach or kale for some veggies.
- If you have time, add in roasted garlic! Just cut of the top of a head of garlic, place into aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil and bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes.
- Dairy Free option – coconut milk or any nondairy milk can be used in place of heavy cream. The sauce will not be as thick but it’ll be delicious!
- To add a little heat – add in some red pepper flakes or a little more hot sauce, similar to my buffalo chicken pasta.
How to make Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken
Step 1: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and add to a large bowl. Add smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Mix together to ensure all of the chicken is coated in the seasonings. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is nice and hot, add chicken and cook on both sides for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and cover with aluminum foil. Set aside.
Step 2: To the same pan, add butter. Once fully melted, add shallots and cook for 4-5 minutes, until slightly softened and fragrant. Then add garlic and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Add thyme, and pour in white wine. Cook the wine for 5 minutes, then add all purpose flour and chicken bouillon paste. Whisk together until the form is absorbed and forms a thin paste, then pour in heavy cream, and add in cream cheese. Season with a sprinkle of salt papper and stir until cream cheese is melted into the sauce.
Step 4: Cook the sauce for 5-7 minutes, until it thickens (should be the consistency of a thick alfredo sauce), then add in parmesan, lemon juice, hot sauce, and parsley. Taste for salt and pepper and season accordingly.
Step 5: Boil a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and boil until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and drain
Step 6: Cut up the cooked chicken into bite sized pieces and add fold into the sauce. When you’re ready to serve, place pasta onto a plate and spoon that delicious creamy sauce on top. Serve with a side salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.
Expert Chef Tips
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning. You’ll get that golden, crispy sear instead of steaming it in the pan.
- Save some of the pasta water – adding a splash of pasta water is your secret weapon. It loosens the sauce just enough and helps it cling to the noodles.
- Slice the chicken after it rests. That way it stays juicy and doesn’t lose all its goodness on the cutting board.
- Stir in the cooked pasta immediately after draining the pasta water. This allows that creamy garlic sauce to stick to the noodles!
- Opt for chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken thighs. They’re juicier, more flavorful, and way harder to overcook — total game-changer.
How to Serve
Garlic parmesan chicken pasta is rich and creamy, so I like pairing it with something fresh and light like a crisp green salad with a balsamic dressing or even a peach caprese salad.
Don’t forget some warm, cheesy sourdough garlic bread or soft garlic butter dinner rolls to scoop up any leftover sauce. And if you’re sipping something, a chilled white wine sangria pairs perfectly.
Recipe FAQs
Pasta shapes like spaghetti, penne, cavatappi, or linguine work well. The key is to select a pasta that holds onto the creamy garlic parmesan sauce effectively. For instance, cavatappi’s twists are excellent for capturing the sauce .
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce if necessary. Alternatively, microwave in short intervals, stirring in between, until heated through. For longer storage, you can freeze leftovers. Just allow everything to cool completely before adding it to an airtight container. When reheating, be aware that the sauce’s texture might change slightly, but again – it will still be delicious .
Absolutely, and it saves time. Simply shred the chicken and add it to the sauce when it’s finished cooking. Be sure to cook until the chicken is fully heated all the way through.
Absolutely, you can use any plant-based alternatives such as almond or oat milk, dairy-free butter, and vegan parmesan cheese. The texture and flavor may be altered slightly but it’ll still be delish!
Yes! Combine chicken and the sauce ingredients, then cook on low for 6-8 hours. Once the chicken is tender, shred it add al dente pasta, and mix everything together.
More Pasta Recipes
Main Course
Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Main Course
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
Main Course
Lemon Caper Pasta
Main Course
Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta
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Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Equipment
- Large Nonstick Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Chicken Tenderloins, (or boneless skinless chicken thighs)
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter
- 2 Shallots, (diced)
- 8 cloves Garlic, (diced)
- 4 sprigs Thyme, (Stems removed)
- 1 cup Dry White Wine
- 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Chicken Bouillon Paste
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, (freshly grated)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
- 3 tbsp Fresh Parsley, (chopped)
- 12 oz Pasta
- Salt and Pepper, (to taste)
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and add to a large bowl. Add smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Mix together to ensure all of the chicken is coated in the seasonings. 1 1/2 lbs Chicken Tenderloins 1 tsp Smoked Paprika 1 tsp Oregano 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Kosher Salt 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is nice and hot, add chicken and cook on both sides for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and cover with aluminum foil. Set aside. 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- To the same pan, add butter. Once fully melted, add shallots and cook for 4-5 minutes, until slightly softened and fragrant. Then add garlic and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add thyme, and pour in white wine. Cook the wine for 5 minutes, then add all purpose flour and chicken bouillon paste. Whisk together until a thin pasta forms, about 2-4 minutes, then pour in heavy cream, and add in cream cheese. Season with a sprinkle of salt pepper and stir until cream cheese is melted into the sauce. 2 tbsp Salted Butter 2 Shallots 8 cloves Garlic 4 sprigs Thyme 1 cup Dry White Wine 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour 2 tsp Chicken Bouillon Paste 2 cups Heavy Cream 4 oz Cream Cheese
- Cook the sauce on low heat for 5-7 minutes, until it thickens (should be the consistency of a thick alfredo sauce), then add in parmesan, lemon juice, hot sauce, and parsley. Taste for salt and pepper and season accordingly. 1 1/2 cups Parmesan 1 tbsp Lemon Juice 1 tbsp Hot Sauce 3 tbsp Fresh Parsley
- Boil a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and boil until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and drain. 12 oz Pasta
- If needed, add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce to loosen it up a bit. Add more if needed per your personal preference.
- Cut up the cooked chicken into bite sized pieces and add fold into the sauce along with all of the juices, then add the drained pasta and toss everything together.
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning. You’ll get that golden, crispy sear instead of steaming it in the pan.
- Save some of the pasta water – adding a splash of pasta water is your secret weapon. It loosens the sauce just enough and helps it cling to the noodles.
- Slice the chicken after it rests. That way it stays juicy and doesn’t lose all its goodness on the cutting board.
-
Stir in the cooked pasta immediately after draining the pasta water. This allows that creamy garlic sauce to stick to the noodles!
- Use chicken thighs, not breasts. They’re juicier, more flavorful, and way harder to overcook — total game-changer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe- I used it as a base and added some Cajun elements- I used a Cajun dry rub for the chicken (and for seasoning the sauce), I did unsalted butter so I had more control over level of saltiness. Added some tomato paste to while the garlic and shallots were sautéing. Last but not least- I used both raw and roasted garlic.
Tasted amazing!
Thank you!