Description
A creamy, flavorful pasta dish with tender chicken, garlic, and Parmesan cheese in a rich sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for chicken)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3‑4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all‑purpose flour
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup low‑sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- ¾ lb pasta (any type), uncooked (≈ 340 grams)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Slice or butterfly the chicken breasts to even thickness. Season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Heat olive oil over medium‑high heat in a large skillet. Sear the chicken about 3‑5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and keep warm.
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add butter. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the flour, stirring to combine into a roux; cook for about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream until smooth. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes until it begins to thicken.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese; mix until melted and smooth.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and reserve a small amount of pasta water.
- Slice the cooked chicken into strips. Return chicken to the sauce in the skillet. Add the cooked pasta, tossing gently to coat in the sauce. If needed, use reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with extra Parmesan.
Notes
- You can use chicken thighs instead of breasts for a juicier texture.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half‑and‑half or a mix of milk + Greek yogurt (but texture & richness will be slightly changed).
- Freshly grated Parmesan gives better flavor than pre‑grated.
- Leftovers store 3‑4 days in refrigerator; reheat gently to avoid breaking sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ≈ 327 g
- Calories: 649 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 447 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 21 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 126 mg
