An easy creamy garlic chicken pasta recipe that’s smothered in a parmesan garlic cream sauce, I don’t think it gets any better than this.
Why this recipe works
I don’t know about you, but garlic chicken pasta is what my dreams are made of. But, if there’s one thing I do know, it’s that the people love garlic chicken. Add a rich creamy sauce and hearty pasta to the mix, and you’re golden. Even my youngest daughter scarfed it down, so it’s safe to say it’s kid-friendly!
We dressed it up with some spinach, though you can easily add bacon, broccoli, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, or even red pepper flakes for a kick of heat. We love a customizable recipe.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
PASTA – While we used ziti pasta for this dish, you can use any of your favorite noodles. Other suggestions would be rotini, mostaccioli, bowties, linguini, or spaghetti.
GARLIC – Fresh or jarred minced garlic will both work here. This simply comes down to personal preference and convenience.
SAUCE – The sauce base is primarily heavy whipping cream with parmesan cheese. You can substitute with half and half if needed, or whole milk. Regular milk can also be used, but keep in mind that the dish will be less rich and not as thick. Milk has a significantly higher water content than cream, so if you replace the cream, you may need to simmer longer to thicken.
SPINACH – Fresh raw spinach is preferable, though frozen spinach will also work if you allow it to thaw and squeeze out as much of the excess water as possible. You can substitute with kale, or omit the spinach altogether if it isn’t your fancy.
SEASONING – You won’t use all the seasoning blend. You can keep it for another dish, or simply season the chicken with each individual seasoning (to taste) without combining them.
How to Make Garlic Chicken Pasta
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Trim chicken of excess fat.
- Combine garlic salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Season both sides with some of the mixture (to taste) and reserve the rest.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook chicken breasts in oil for 4-5 minutes per side, they should be golden brown. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low to cook the center of the chicken, about 10 minutes more.
- Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
- Melt butter in skillet then add minced garlic, cooking for a minute or until fragrant.
- Add heavy whipping cream, more seasoning blend (to taste), and grated parmesan cheese. Whisk together and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Stir in spinach leaves.
- Slice the chicken, then add it back to the skillet. Add cooked pasta. Cook another 5 minutes, or until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
This dish is great for all sorts of additions! Crumbled bacon or pancetta, sauteed mushrooms, peas, sun dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes for heat, or broccoli for some additional color and nutrients are all good options.
Absolutely. You can substitute with boneless chicken thighs if preferred. The thighs will be even juicier!
Sure, add a dash or two of red pepper flakes to the mix when you add your seasonings. Cayenne pepper will also work.
To thicken your cream sauce, you can add extra Parmesan cheese or continue to simmer gently until it thickens. To thin it out, slowly add a splash of pasta water until you reach the right consistency.
Store any cooled leftovers in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of heavy whipping cream or milk to help it loosen if needed. Stir often, and heat until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
This dish is pretty filling on its own, but you can serve your garlic chicken pasta with a side salad or some hunks of crusty bread for dipping! I love to add some shredded Parmesan and chopped parsley as garnish, but this is optional. Enjoy!
More Chicken Recipes
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Garlic Chicken Pasta
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts 680g
- garlic salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- onion powder to taste
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic heaping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 6 ounces raw spinach leaves
- 8 ounces ziti pasta cooked al dente
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You may want to reserve some pasta water in case you need to loosen the sauce at all.
- While we used ziti pasta for this dish you can use any of your favorite noodles. Other suggestions would be rotini, mostaccioli, bowties, linguini, or spaghetti.
- You can substitute the heavy whipping cream with half and half if needed, or whole milk. Regular milk can also be used, but keep in mind that the dish will be less rich and not as thick. Milk has a significantly higher water content than cream, so if you replace the cream, you may need to simmer longer to thicken.
- Fresh raw spinach is preferable, though frozen spinach will also work if you allow it to thaw and squeeze out as much of the excess water as possible. You can substitute with kale, or omit the spinach altogether if it isn’t your fancy.
- You can simply season the chicken with each individual seasoning (to taste) without combining them, if preferred.
Instructions
- Trim chicken of excess fat.1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Combine garlic salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Season both sides with some of the mixture (to taste) and reserve the rest.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook chicken breasts in oil for 4-5 minutes per side, they should be golden brown. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low to cook the center of the chicken, about 10 minutes more.1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
- Melt butter in skillet then add minced garlic, cooking for a minute or until fragrant.1 Tablespoon butter, 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- Add heavy whipping cream, more seasoning blend (to taste), and grated parmesan cheese. Whisk together and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Stir in spinach leaves.6 ounces raw spinach leaves
- Slice the chicken, then add it back to the skillet. Add cooked pasta. Cook another 5 minutes, or until heated through.8 ounces ziti pasta
Expert Tips & FAQs
- To thicken your cream sauce, you can add extra Parmesan cheese or continue to simmer gently until it thickens. To thin it out, slowly add a splash of pasta water until you reach the right consistency.
- Store any cooled leftovers in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of heavy whipping cream or milk to help it loosen if needed. Stir often, and heat until warmed through.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
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Barb says
This recipe sounds delicious, cannot wait to try it. Thank you, Barb