Description
This recipe features tender garlic butter chicken bites cooked in a skillet and tossed in a rich and creamy Parmesan sauce with pasta. It's a comforting and flavorful meal perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter, divided
- 5 cloves Garlic, 3 minced for chicken, 2 minced for sauce
- Paprika, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 300 g Pasta such as penne or fettuccine
- 1 ½ cups Heavy cream
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Season the bite-sized chicken pieces with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to infuse flavor.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Boil the pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve some of the pasta water.
- Prepare the sauce: In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and sprinkle Italian seasoning. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Combine chicken, pasta, and sauce: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, add the drained pasta, and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese. Toss everything together gently to coat the pasta and chicken evenly with the creamy Parmesan sauce. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley for brightness and serve immediately while warm and creamy.
Notes
- You can use any type of short pasta such as penne, fettuccine, or rigatoni.
- Adjust seasoning to your taste, adding more garlic powder or paprika if desired.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, but the sauce will be less thick.
- If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Ensure chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for safety.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
