Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken
Nothing hits the spot more than a delicious chicken pasta meal when your stomach is empty and growling after a long day. Creamy sauce paired with tender, juicy chicken breast topped on a bed of pasta is the best weeknight dinner meal (and it’s a budget friendly recipe, too)! I honestly can never stop myself from going back for seconds with this dish.
I first made garlic parmesan pasta with chicken when I was trying to make Tuscan chicken without the tomatoes and spinach that my toddler hates oh so much. With a diet filled with mostly meat, cheese and veggies, it’s good to switch things up every once in a while and binge on delicious creamy pasta! Little did I know how great this would turn out and how much my family would love it.
Oh, and for those of you who are Buffalo Wild Wings fans, the sauce used for this recipe tastes VERY similar to Buffalo Wild Wings Garlic Parmesan sauce! I suppose it could even be considered a copycat recipe 😊
Why You’ll Love Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken
This cheesy and creamy chicken pasta recipe is to die for. The perfect blend of textures and flavors make this meal perfect for feeding a hungry family with picky eaters. Let’s be honest here; who doesn’t love a good cheesy pasta sauce?!
What I love most about garlic parmesan pasta with chicken is the blend of textures. You have the tender but firm chicken paired with the soft texture of pasta. Top this with a silky and savory garlic cream sauce and your tastebuds will be sure to thank you! This has become my go-to recipe for my toddler on the days that he is EXTRA picky and nothing else will satisfy him.
Oh, and did I mention? This dish is PERFECT for hiding vegetables if you’ve got a fussy child at home who needs that extra nutrition! Just swap out the pasta for steamed veggies and you’re set for success! I’ve found that broccoli and/or peas works best with this sauce, but feel free to experiment and let me know how it went in the comments down below!
How to Store Leftovers
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Storing the sauce separately will prevent the meal from getting too soggy so keep that in mind! This can also be stored in a freezer safe container or bag for 3-4 months.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Ingredients
Chicken breast – make sure it is set to room temperature and THOROUGHLY DRIED before use!
Cavatappi pasta – any pasta will work, but I like cavatappi because it is long and curly which allows for some airy bounce. This prevents the meal from getting too thick since the sauce can be a bit heavy.
Panko bread crumbs – these are thicker than regular breadcrumbs and in my opinion, add more of a crunch. You really need this if you are baking your chicken. You can use regular breadcrumbs as an alternative but it will have a lighter crisp if you do.
Chicken stock – I prefer the stronger taste of chicken stock over broth, but broth can definitely be used!
Heavy cream – the main ingredient to making the sauce extra rich and creamy.
Parmesan cheese – to add to the creamy texture and cheesy flavor.
Flour – to thicken up the cream sauce when cooked as a roux with butter.
Butter – use kerrygold to really add a rich, buttery flavor to this sauce.
Chicken bouillon – used in place of salt for extra flavor. I always use Knorr which I’ve seen all over the internet and at Costco.
Parsley – fresh parsley adds more flavor by soaking into the sauce. Add ½ handful of fresh parsley (stems removed) or 2 tsp dried parsley.
Olive oil – just a drizzle for the garlic to sauté in.
Garlic – the main flavor paired with parmesan in this sauce.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken
Begin by taking out your chicken breasts and cutting them in half lengthwise. This is called butterflying chicken. In a separate bowl large enough to hold the chicken, add either 2 cups heavy cream and 2 tbsp vinegar or regular buttermilk if you have it (does anyone really keep buttermilk in the fridge?). Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture and set aside for 15 minutes so the chicken can reach room temperature.
Pro tip: Cooking cold chicken will make the interior take longer to cook resulting in either rubbery, undercooked chicken or chicken with a dry, overcooked exterior. This is why we always want our chicken to sit at room temperature for a minimum of 10 minutes!
Make your line up for breading the chicken. Start with a plate filled with ½ cup flour and ½ tbsp chicken bouillon. Crack 2 eggs and whisk into a bowl. Last, fill a plate with panko or breadcrumbs.
Preheat oven to 400°F and melt 2 tbsp of butter. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and coat with the melted butter. Dry off each chicken breast with paper towels and dredge in the flour mixture followed by eggs, followed by the panko breadcrumbs.
Place chicken onto the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. At the 20 minute mark, flip carefully with a flat spatula and bake for an additional 20 minutes. The breading will fall off if you aren’t careful.
If the chicken is not a brown color at this point, bump up the heat to broil and roast for 1-2 minutes watching VERY CAREFULLY until it reaches the deep, golden color you prefer. Even a minute too long can turn this chicken from moist and juicy to dry and burnt so watch very carefully.
While the chicken is cooking, you can make the parmesan sauce and pasta. Boil and salt some water and cook an entire 16 oz box of cavatappi pasta to your liking. This normally takes about 10 minutes. Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil once drained to avoid sticking (I’m a die hard fan of Colavita olive oil).
Garlic parmesan sauce time! Start by mincing 5 peeled garlic cloves or skip this part if you are using garlic powder (2 tsp garlic powder will work in its place). Drizzle a little bit of olive oil and sauté garlic and 2 tsp Italian seasoning on medium-high heat for about 1 minute. You will know the garlic is done when it becomes fragrant.
Add 3 tbsp butter and allow to melt followed by 3 tbsp flour. Whisk consistently until it starts to turn golden brown. We want a very light brown color here, not dark.
Reduce heat to medium and slowly add 1 ½ cups chicken stock. Stir until blended. Allow the sauce to simmer for 3-5 minutes as it continues to thicken.
Add 1 ½ cups heavy cream until the mixture is smooth and creamy, followed by 5 oz of shredded parmesan cheese and 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon.
Note: 5 oz of shredded parmesan is roughly 1 cup. Adjust quantity to preference.
At this point, your oven fried chicken breasts should be ready (make sure the internal temperature is 165°F). Remove them from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack or paper towels. Gather your pasta and fully coat with sauce. Top with crispy baked chicken and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
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Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken
Ingredients
Oven Fried Chicken Breasts
- 3 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- 2 tbsp butter to coat the pan for the chicken to bake in
- 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon Knorr brand is my favorite
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs to make the chicken breasts crispy
- 1/2 cup flour to coat the chicken
- 2 large eggs to allow the breadcrumbs to stick to the chicken
Garlic Parmesan Pasta
- 3 tbsp butter kerrygold brand, salted
- 5 oz parmesan cheese shredded
- 1½ cup heavy cream for creaminess
- 1½ cup chicken stock base for the sauce
- 3 tbsp flour to thicken the sauce
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning for flavor
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil for searing the garlic
- 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon
Instructions
- Take out your chicken breasts and cut them in half lengthwise. In a separate bowl large enough to hold the chicken, add either 2 cups heavy cream and 2 tbsp vinegar or regular buttermilk if you have it. Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture and set aside for 15 minutes so the chicken can reach room temperature.
- Make your line up for breading the chicken. Start with a plate filled with ½ cup flour and ½ tbsp chicken bouillon. Crack 2 eggs and whisk into a bowl. Last, fill a plate with panko or breadcrumbs.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and melt 2 tbsp of butter. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and coat with the melted butter. Dry off each chicken breast with paper towels and dredge in the flour mixture followed by eggs, followed by the panko breadcrumbs.
- Place chicken onto the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. At the 20 minute mark, flip carefully with a flat spatula and bake for an additional 20 minutes. The breading will fall off if you aren’t careful. If the chicken is not a brown color, raise the heat to broil and roast for 1-2 minutes watching VERY CAREFULLY until it reaches the deep, golden color you prefer. Even a minute too long can turn this chicken from moist and juicy to dry and burnt so watch very carefully.
- While the chicken is cooking, you can make the parmesan sauce and pasta. Boil and salt some water and cook an entire 16 oz box of cavatappi pasta to your liking. Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil once drained to avoid sticking.
- Mince 5 peeled garlic cloves or skip this part if you are using garlic powder (2 tsp garlic powder will work in its place). Drizzle a little bit of olive oil and sauté garlic and 2 tsp Italian seasoning on medium-high heat for about 1 minute. You will know the garlic is done when it becomes fragrant.
- Add 3 tbsp flour to the butter garlic mixture and whisk consistently until it starts to turn golden brown. We want a very light brown color here, not dark.
- Reduce heat to medium and slowly add 1 ½ cups chicken stock. Stir until blended. Allow the sauce to simmer for 3-5 minutes as it continues to thicken. Add 1 ½ cups heavy cream until the mixture is smooth and creamy, followed by 5 oz of shredded parmesan cheese and 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon.Note: 5 oz shredded parmesan is roughly 1 cup.
- At this point, your oven fried chicken breasts should be ready (make sure the internal temperature is 165°F). Remove them from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack or paper towels. Gather your pasta and fully coat with sauce. Top with crispy baked chicken and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
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