Description
This Creamy Garlic Chicken & Parmesan Pasta Delight is a quick and flavorful dish combining tender, seasoned chicken with rich parmesan cream sauce and perfectly cooked rigatoni pasta. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a comforting and elegant meal perfect for any weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Pasta
- 10 oz rigatoni pasta
- Salt, for pasta water
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- Extra parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Season the bite-sized chicken chunks evenly with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning to infuse flavor.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside to keep warm.
- Cook the pasta: Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Sauté garlic: Lower the heat to medium. In the same skillet, melt the butter and then add the minced garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Simmer cream: Pour the heavy cream into the skillet with the garlic and let it gently simmer to thicken slightly.
- Add parmesan: Gradually whisk in the freshly grated parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Combine pasta and chicken: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and add the drained rigatoni pasta. Toss everything together so the pasta and chicken are evenly coated with the creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce as needed.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle extra parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley over the dish if desired, then serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Use freshly grated parmesan for the best melting and flavor.
- Reserve pasta water helps adjust sauce consistency without diluting flavor.
- Ensure chicken is fully cooked by cutting a piece open to check for no pink inside.
- For a lighter version, substitute half and half instead of heavy cream.
- Fresh parsley adds a bright contrast and color but is optional.
