Quick Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken and garlic blend with creamy Parmesan and pasta in a flavorful one-pan dish.

# Components:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 17.6 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Dairy

03 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
04 - ½ cup heavy cream
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Stock & Seasonings

09 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Oil

13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Method:

01 - Warm olive oil and butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - Add chicken pieces, season with salt, pepper, and half the Italian seasoning. Sauté until golden and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, cook onion for 2 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in uncooked pasta, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy and the cheese has melted.
06 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, toss to coat thoroughly, and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Stir in chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
08 - Plate the dish hot, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese and parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely done in 30 minutes, no sneaky extra prep hiding in the instructions.
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy the meal.
  • The creamy Parmesan sauce tastes like you've been simmering it all day, even though you haven't.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the chicken first—that golden color isn't just pretty, it's the difference between bland and actually flavorful because of the Maillard reaction happening.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan and add it off the heat, because pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that make it grainy, and Parmesan can separate if it gets too hot.
03 -
  • Brown the chicken hard enough to get actual color, not just cooked through, because those golden bits are flavor you can't get any other way.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh and keep that cheese grater close—you might want extra for the table, and pre-grated just never tastes the same.
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