One-Pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta
Our Best Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta: The Perfect Midweek Indulgence
Are you on the hunt for a go-to meal that feels like a comforting embrace but doesn’t take all evening to prepare? We completely understand that feeling after a demanding day, with a hungry household wondering what’s for dinner. Well, we have the perfect, delicious solution. This delightful Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is a guaranteed hit with everyone, bringing together succulent chicken, a wonderfully creamy sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta in one spectacular dish. It is wholesome, satisfying, and remarkably straightforward to make, establishing it as a true kitchen staple.
Why You’ll Adore This Recipe
- Ready in Under 30 Minutes: This is the very essence of an easy weeknight chicken dinner. From gathering your ingredients to serving, you can have this beautiful meal on the table in about half an hour, which is ideal for hectic evenings.
- Restaurant-Worthy Flavour: We rely on simple, fresh components to build a rich, savoury sauce that rivals what you would find in your favourite Italian eatery. The harmony between the garlic, Parmesan, and cream is simply exquisite.
- Fantastically Versatile: Consider this recipe your canvas. You can easily enhance it by adding your preferred vegetables, such as spinach or mushrooms, or introduce a little warmth with a pinch of chilli flakes. It’s a joy to customise.
- Creamy Yet Not Overly Rich: We have fine-tuned the sauce-to-pasta balance to make sure every forkful is coated in a velvety sauce that feels indulgent without being heavy. It is the pinnacle of comfort food.
Ingredients for the Ultimate Pasta Dish
One of the finest aspects of this recipe is its use of simple, easy-to-find ingredients. It’s likely you already have many of them in your kitchen! For the most delicious outcome, we always suggest opting for the freshest ingredients available, particularly when it comes to the garlic and Parmesan cheese.
- Pasta: 400g of your preferred type. We find that fettuccine, linguine, or penne all work wonderfully.
- Chicken: 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (around 500g), cut into bite-sized chunks.
- Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon, for searing the chicken.
- Butter: 3 tablespoons, unsalted. This creates the rich foundation for our sauce.
- Garlic: 5-6 cloves, minced very finely. We are great fans of garlic, so please adjust this to your own preference!
- Plain Flour: 2 tablespoons. This serves as the thickener for our sauce.
- Chicken Stock: 250ml. For the best flavour, we recommend using a high-quality stock.
- Double Cream: 250ml. This is what gives the sauce its characteristically creamy and luscious body.
- Parmesan Cheese: 100g, freshly grated. For a smooth, beautifully melted sauce, this is essential!
- Seasoning: Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to your taste.
- Fresh Parsley: A small bunch, chopped, to use as a garnish. It brings a lovely pop of freshness.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Allow us to lead you through each part of the process to ensure your pasta turns out flawlessly every time. Just follow these straightforward steps for a truly scrumptious result.
1. Prepare and Cook the Chicken
First, put a large saucepan of salted water on the hob and bring it to a rolling boil for your pasta.
As the water heats up, season your chicken pieces liberally with both salt and pepper.
Warm the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning them occasionally, until they are beautifully golden and cooked all the way through. It is vital to ensure the chicken is cooked properly; you can check this by piercing a piece to see if the juices run clear. For further advice, the Food Standards Agency offers superb guidance on cooking chicken safely. Once ready, take the chicken out of the pan and place it to one side.
2. Create the Luscious Parmesan Garlic Sauce
Using the same pan, lower the heat to medium and add the butter. As soon as it melts, add the minced garlic and cook for around 30 seconds until it smells wonderfully aromatic. Be watchful to prevent it from burning, which would give the sauce a bitter taste.
Whisk in the plain flour to form a paste, known as a roux. Continue to cook for a minute, stirring all the time. This step is important for cooking out the raw flavour of the flour.
Gently pour in the chicken stock, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps from forming. When the stock is fully incorporated, slowly whisk in the double cream. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 2-3 minutes as it starts to thicken.
Turn the heat down to low and stir in your freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is perfectly smooth. This is your amazing parmesan garlic sauce! Season it with salt and pepper to your liking.
3. Cook the Pasta and Bring It All Together
By this point, your water should be boiling vigorously. Add the pasta and cook it according to the packet instructions until it is al dente (which means it still has a slight bite). Before draining, remember to save about 250ml (a mugful) of the starchy pasta water.
Drain the cooked pasta and tip it directly into the pan containing the creamy sauce. Return the cooked chicken to the pan at the same time.
Gently toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated in the delicious sauce. If the sauce feels a bit too thick for your liking, add a small splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it to the perfect consistency. This starchy water is our secret weapon for a silky, well-blended sauce.
Serve straight away, garnished with a generous scattering of fresh parsley and an extra grating of Parmesan cheese, if you fancy.
Our Top Tips for a Flawless Dish
Putting together a simple chicken pasta is straightforward, but a few small details can elevate your dish from merely good to truly magnificent. Keep these pointers in mind for the very best results.
- Grate Your Own Cheese: We cannot overstate the importance of this! Pre-grated Parmesan often includes anti-caking agents that hinder smooth melting, which can lead to a grainy sauce. Taking a moment to grate a block of cheese yourself will make a world of difference.
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Always cook your pasta until it is al dente. It will carry on cooking a little more when mixed with the hot sauce, so taking it out of the water a minute early will ensure it has the ideal final texture.
- The Magic of Pasta Water: The cloudy water left behind after boiling pasta is like liquid gold. The starches within it help the sauce adhere beautifully to the pasta, creating a creamier, more unified dish. For another recipe where this trick is invaluable, have a look at our simple yet elegant Creamy Garlic Pasta Recipe.
- Fresh is Always Best: Utilising fresh garlic and parsley will infuse your dish with a bright, potent flavour that their dried counterparts just cannot replicate.
Fun Variations and Customisations
This chicken and noodle recipe provides a fantastic foundation for you to unleash your culinary creativity. Here are some of our favourite ideas to inspire you:
- Add Some Greens: For extra colour and nutrients, stir in a couple of large handfuls of fresh spinach right at the end of cooking until it just wilts, or add some steamed broccoli florets.
- A Medley of Mushrooms: Sauté some sliced chestnut mushrooms along with the chicken to introduce a wonderful, earthy depth of flavour.
- A Touch of Spice: If you enjoy a bit of a kick, a quarter-teaspoon of red pepper flakes added at the same time as the garlic will do the trick.
- Make It Even Creamier: For an exceptionally decadent sauce, try stirring in a few tablespoons of cream cheese when you add the Parmesan. If you are a fan of rich, creamy chicken dishes like this one, you will fall in love with our Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe.
FAQ
A New Family Favourite
So, there we have it—a truly exceptional creamy chicken pasta recipe that we are confident will quickly become a regular feature in your meal planning. It’s the type of meal that gathers everyone around the dinner table, offering comfort and incredible flavour in every single forkful. It’s proof that you don’t need fussy ingredients or complicated techniques to make a meal that feels truly special.
We are so thrilled for you to try this Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta. It’s a recipe that we return to again and again, and we believe you will too. If you do make it, we would love for you to leave a comment below and tell us how it went. We always enjoy hearing from you! Happy cooking!
One-Pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta
A wonderfully creamy and satisfying pasta dish combining tender chicken and a rich garlic parmesan sauce. Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken stock, then the double cream until smooth.
- Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve a mugful of pasta water before draining.
- Add the drained pasta and cooked chicken to the sauce. Toss to combine, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan.
Calories: ~850 kcal
Protein: ~55g
Carbs: ~65g
Fat: ~40g
