A garlic parmesan chicken pasta is the kind of weeknight dinner that covers all the bases: tender chicken, a silky cheese sauce, and noodles that soak up every bit of flavor. You get a restaurant-style plate without standing at the stove for an hour. This version keeps the steps simple and the ingredient list short so you can cook it on a busy evening.
The sauce is built in one pan after the chicken browns, which means fewer dishes and more flavor transferred from the browned bits left behind. Parmesan does the heavy lifting for saltiness and body, while garlic keeps the background warm rather than sharp. You’ll end up with a cohesive bowl where the pasta and chicken share the same coating. Making this garlic parmesan chicken pasta at home is surprisingly straightforward once you know the key steps.
We’re using penne because it holds sauce in the tubes, but the method works with most short pasta. The chicken is cut small so it cooks through fast and stays juicy. By the end you have a complete meal that reheats reasonably well if you make a little extra. If you enjoyed this, our traditional baked garlic is worth trying next. The garlic parmesan chicken pasta works well for weeknight cooking when time is limited.
Why You’ll Love These Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Ready in about 30 minutes from fridge to plate, so it fits a tight schedule.
- One skillet for the sauce means less cleanup and better flavor from the pan.
- Parmesan gives a salty, nutty coating without a heavy cream base.
- Uses common grocery items you likely keep on hand already.
- Kid-friendly texture since the sauce is smooth, not chunky or spicy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 500g), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 12 oz (340g) penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Ingredient Substitutions
Whole milk: Replace with an equal amount of half-and-half for a richer, thicker sauce. Half-and-half has more fat so the sauce tightens faster, meaning you should pull it off the heat as soon as it coats the spoon. The flavor reads slightly sweeter and the finished dish feels heavier on the tongue. Storing leftover garlic parmesan chicken pasta correctly keeps it tasting good for days.
Penne pasta: Swap for an equal weight of rotini or fusilli if that’s what you have. These shapes trap sauce in their spirals, giving a similar cling to the chicken. Cook time stays the same, but check doneness one minute early since thinner spirals can soften faster than tube pasta.
Parmesan cheese: Use grana padano in the same 1-cup measure for a milder, less salty result. Grana padano melts a touch more smoothly but adds less punch, so you may want an extra pinch of salt. The sauce color stays pale and the nutty note is softer.
Chicken breasts: Replace with 500g of chicken thighs cut to the same size for more fat and a springier bite. Thighs brown well and stay juicy, but they need an extra 2 minutes per side to cook through. Expect a deeper savory flavor and slightly more rendered fat in the pan. For another easy option, check out our traditional baked garlic.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Boil 12 oz penne in salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken cubes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; cook until golden and crispy on the outside and no longer pink inside, about 6–8 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 4 cloves minced garlic; cook until fragrant and pale gold, about 1 minute, not browned.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and cook 1 minute to remove raw taste, forming a loose paste with the butter.
- Slowly whisk in 2 cups warm milk until smooth, then simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 4–5 minutes.
- Turn off heat and add 1 cup parmesan, stirring until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust salt.
- Return chicken and add drained pasta; toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Sprinkle parsley and serve immediately.
Pro Tips
Warm the milk before adding it to the roux so the sauce doesn’t seize or clump from temperature shock. Cold milk can make lumps that are hard to smooth out later.
Cut the chicken to a uniform 1-inch size so every piece finishes in the same window. Uneven cubes leave you with dry edges on the big ones while small bits overcook.
Grate parmesan from a block instead of using pre-shredded bags, which contain anti-caking starch that can make the sauce grainy. A microplane gives you fast, fine shreds that melt cleanly.
Learn proper pan sauce technique from pan sauce basics if you want to build more flavor with the browned bits. Deglazing with a splash of water before the milk loosens the fond.
Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining; a splash helps loosen the sauce if it tightens as it sits with the noodles.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Adding cheese over high heat makes it clump and turn oily instead of melting into the sauce. Always turn the burner off before stirring in parmesan.
Overcooking the garlic until it browns brings a bitter note that ruins the gentle background. Pull it at pale gold and move to the flour step.
Crowding the skillet with all the chicken at once drops the pan temperature and steams the meat. Cook in two batches if needed so the cubes actually brown.
Skipping the flour step leaves you with thin milk rather than a coating sauce. The brief cook of the roux is what gives the dish its body. You might also like our lemon garlic shrimp.
Serving Suggestions
Pair the bowl with a side of cherry tomato pasta for a second texture on the table, though keep portions small since the main is filling. A simple green salad with lemon dressing cuts the richness well.
Offer extra parmesan at the table and a pinch of red pepper for those who want heat. Crusty bread works to mop up the sauce, but isn’t required given the pasta base.
For a lighter plate, add steamed broccoli florets directly to the toss step so they pick up the cheese coating. The extra vegetable balances the meal without another dish.
Storage and Reheating
Cool the pasta within 2 hours of cooking and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken as it chills due to the starches.
Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of milk, stirring until the chicken reaches 74°C / 165°F internally. Microwave works but can dry the edges, so cover and use half power.
This dish does not freeze well because the milk-based sauce can separate and turn grainy on thaw. Make a fresh batch instead of freezing leftovers.
Recipe Variations
Shrimp Swap
Replace the chicken with 500g peeled shrimp and cook them just 2–3 minutes per side until pink and firm. Shrimp release less fat so add an extra teaspoon of butter at the start. The result is a lighter seafood version with the same garlic parmesan chicken pasta sauce base minus the poultry.
Roasted Garlic Version
Use roasted garlic mashed into the butter step instead of raw cloves for a sweeter, mellow profile. Roast a full head earlier and squeeze in 6 cloves worth. The sauce loses the sharp bite and reads rounder and softer.
Spicy Kick
Add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic and finish with a dash of hot sauce. The heat sits in the background and makes the cheese taste less heavy. Keep the amount modest so the dish stays family-friendly.
Lemon Brightened
Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon zest and a squeeze of juice at the end to lift the sauce. The acid balances the dairy and makes the parmesan pop. This pairs well with the creamy lemon pasta method if you want a side.
Whole Wheat Pasta
Use whole wheat penne for more fiber and a nuttier taste, though it absorbs more sauce so add 1/4 cup extra milk. The texture is chewier and the color darker. Cook 1 minute longer than white pasta to reach al dente.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Description
A garlic parmesan chicken pasta with tender cubed chicken and penne in a silky cheese sauce built in one pan. It is ready in about 30 minutes and uses common grocery items for an easy, family-friendly meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Boil the penne
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add 12 oz penne. Cook at a steady boil until al dente, about 10 minutes, when the pasta is tender but still firm at the center with a slight bite. Drain in a colander and set aside until the sauce is ready.
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Brown the chicken
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken cubes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; cook until golden and crispy outside and no longer pink inside, about 6–8 minutes, confirming the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C / 165°F. Remove to a plate and leave the browned bits in the pan.
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Cook garlic in butter
Lower the heat to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons butter with 4 cloves minced garlic. Cook while stirring until fragrant and pale gold, about 1 minute, being careful not to let it brown or it will turn bitter.
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Make the roux
Stir 2 tablespoons flour into the butter-garlic mixture and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw taste. The mixture should form a loose paste that coats the spoon and smells toasty rather than floury.
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Build the sauce
Slowly whisk in 2 cups warm milk until smooth and free of lumps. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4–5 minutes, showing a clear path when you drag a finger through it.
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Melt the parmesan
Turn off the heat completely and add 1 cup parmesan, stirring until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed, keeping in mind the cheese already adds saltiness and body to the sauce.
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Combine chicken and pasta
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and add the drained pasta. Toss everything together so the chicken and penne share the same even coating of sauce and the noodles soak up the flavor.
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Garnish and serve
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons parsley over the top and serve immediately while the sauce is silky. Offer extra parmesan at the table for those who want a stronger cheesy note.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 550kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 22g34%
- Saturated Fat 10g50%
- Cholesterol 95mg32%
- Sodium 620mg26%
- Total Carbohydrate 48g16%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 5g
- Protein 38g76%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Storage: Cool the pasta within 2 hours of cooking and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; the sauce thickens as it chills.
- Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of milk, stirring until the chicken reaches 74°C / 165°F internally; do not reheat the same portion more than once.
- Pro tip: Grate parmesan from a block with a microplane so it melts cleanly, and learn more from lemon shrimp pasta for a related simple dinner.
- Pasta water: Reserve 1/2 cup before draining to loosen the sauce if it tightens as it sits with the noodles.
