Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta 🧄🍗🧈🍝 Rich, Velvety, and Packed With Garlic-Loaded Sauce and Tender Seared Chicken

This is comfort pasta turned up — golden pan-seared chicken, a silky garlic cream sauce, and pasta that’s coated, not drowned. It’s indulgent but balanced, bold but cozy, and ready in under 40 minutes.

Think Alfredo vibes, but with sharper garlic energy and customizable depth.

Ingredients (Serves 3–4)

For the pasta

• 12 oz fettuccine, linguine, or penne
• Salted water for boiling
• ½ cup reserved pasta water

For the chicken

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning or paprika
• 1 tbsp olive oil or butter

For the sauce

• 2 tbsp butter
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• Optional: ¼ tsp red pepper flakes or pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper to taste

To finish

• More Parmesan
• Chopped parsley or basil
• Optional: drizzle of olive oil or chili oil

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta
Boil pasta until al dente in salted water. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.

Step 2: Sear the chicken
Pound chicken to even thickness. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Rest, then slice.

Step 3: Build the sauce
In the same pan, lower heat to medium. Melt butter, add garlic, and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add Parmesan and whisk until smooth and glossy. Season to taste.

Step 4: Toss and combine
Add cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water. Toss to coat. Add sliced chicken back in and toss everything together until hot and coated. Adjust thickness as needed.

Step 5: Serve hot
Top with herbs, more Parmesan, and a drizzle of oil or chili flakes if desired.

Flavor Variations

• Add spinach, mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes for depth
• Stir in ricotta or cream cheese for even more richness
• Swap chicken for shrimp, salmon, or seared tofu
• Use white wine before the cream for acidity
• Finish with lemon zest for brightness

Pro Tips

• Don’t brown the garlic — soft and fragrant is ideal
• Add cheese off heat to prevent clumping
• Let chicken rest before slicing for max juiciness
• Pasta water = liquid gold for balancing cream sauces
• Taste before adding more salt — Parmesan carries plenty

Final Thoughts

Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta is bold, buttery, and endlessly satisfying — the kind of meal that delivers on every level with minimal effort. It’s garlic-forward, rich in texture, and flexible enough to riff any way you like.

Sear it. Swirl it. Let the garlic do the talking. 🧄🍗🧈🍝

🍝 Pasta Recipes Collection

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