Oh man, if I had a dollar for every time my sister texted me the recipe for my Easy Parmesan Chicken Pasta, I could probably buy myself a metric ton of fusilli. Or at least a decent bottle of wine to go with dinner. This one’s been in my Thursday night rotation for years, ever since I accidentally made it with too much cheese (if there even is such a thing). There’s nothing more satisfying than throwing together a meal everyone actually eats without complaint—except maybe nailing the timing so you’re not eating in shifts.
Actually, can I admit something? The first time I made this, I burned the Chicken a bit and kinda pretended it was “intentional for depth of flavor.” My husband still brings it up. But with a little trial and slightly fewer errors, I’ve wrangled this meal into a weeknight champion.
Why I’m Always Coming Back to This Dish
I make this when I’m low on energy but still want something that’ll make the kitchen smell amazing (you know how it gets when the Parmesan starts to melt?). My family goes a bit bonkers for this, and honestly, I don’t think any leftovers have ever seen sunrise in our house. Plus, cleanup’s a breeze unless somebody gets wild with the cheese grater.
I do get irrationally annoyed grating parmesan, though, so sometimes I just buy the pre-grated stuff from Aldi and nobody’s been the wiser so far. (Sorry, Nana, but that wheel of cheese is too ambitious midweek.)
What You’ll Need (And What You Can Swap Out)
- Chicken breast (around 2 or 3, boneless/skinless)—if you’ve got thighs instead, just use those, actually sometimes I think they turn out juicier.
- Pasta: penne, rigatoni, or even spaghetti—my grandma always insisted on De Cecco, but any decent brand does the trick when it’s on special.
- 1 cup of freshly grated parmesan (pre-grated works fine if you’re in a hurry, but don’t use the powdery stuff in the can, please, it always tastes a bit like despair)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder when I’m too lazy to peel)
- 1/2 cup cream—milk works but the sauce ain’t as lush
- 1 cup chicken stock (I use OXO cubes, but homemade is obviously fancier)
- Olive oil (a good glug, maybe 2 tbsp?)
- Salt, pepper, pinch of chili flakes if you like a bit of kick
- Optional: handful cherry tomatoes, a bag of baby spinach, or even peas if you want to veg it up
How I Throw This Together (Don’t Stress Over Perfection)
- So first up, whack a big pot of water on for the pasta. Salt it like you mean it—pasta water should taste a little like seawater, or at least the North Sea on a good day. Get the pasta cooking according to whatever the box says (I taste test at the 8-minute mark; sometimes I lose track and it gets a bit mushy, but nobody’s ever refused dinner because of it).
- While all that’s bubbling, slice your chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt, pepper, and chili if you fancy.
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high in a big skillet or anything with sides; I use my trusty nonstick pan that’s seen better days. Chuck in the chicken and cook till golden on both sides—don’t crowd them or they’ll just steam. This is when I usually sneak a piece (just being honest, hygiene police look away).
- Lower the heat. Tip in the minced garlic, and stir for 30 seconds til fragrant. If you’re adding cherry tomatoes, I throw them in now too—let them blister a little.
- Add cream and chicken stock, give everything a good stir, scraping up any golden bits from the bottom (they’re like edible gold dust). Let it bubble away for a few minutes, and if you’re chucking in spinach or peas, now’s the time.
- Drain the pasta—save a cup of pasta water because you never know if you’ll need to loosen the sauce later (or forget entirely like I do 50 percent of the time).
- Toss the pasta straight into the sauce, then go big: add the parmesan in handfuls, stirring so it melts through. Add extra pasta water if it looks a bit sticky or clumpy. Don’t worry if at this stage it looks a bit off—the cheese sorts itself out as it cools down a smidge.
- Hit it with extra black pepper and taste. Actually, I find it works better if you add a bit more cheese than you think. Serve hot, with a bit more parmesan on top if you like living on the edge.
Kitchen Notes (Things I Learned the Messy Way)
- If your sauce ever splits, just whisk in a splash of pasta water and keep the faith. Seriously, it pretty much always comes back.
- Don’t turn the heat up too high once you add cream—learned that the hard way, hello scrambled sauce.
- Pasta shape doesn’t really matter, but stuffed pasta (like tortellini) didn’t work at all; it just wound up kinda gloopy.
- Random aside: my cat gets very, very interested when I’m grating cheese so watch your toes.
Variations I’ve Actually Tried (And a Fail Too)
- Swapped chicken for leftover rotisserie, just chucked it in at the end—mega easy.
- Tried with smoked bacon for a bacon-y twist. Yesss.
- I got fancy with sundried tomatoes once, but honestly it was a bit much—maybe just stick to fresh or skip them.
- Sometimes I throw in a dash of lemon juice at the end, but only if I remember. Adds a bit of zing!
Got the Right Tools? You Don’t Need Much
I love my battered nonstick pan for this. But if all you’ve got is a pot, just do everything in there. No judgment. A microplane for the cheese is fab, but any grater will do—even if you slip and knick a knuckle (don’t say I didn’t warn you).
How To Store (If It Even Lasts That Long)
Just bung any leftovers in an airtight container and into the fridge—should be good for up to 2 days. I think it tastes better the next day; maybe the flavors get to hang out together a bit longer. But truthfully, I can’t remember the last time we had any left for lunch—my kids have radar for this stuff.
Ideas for Serving – My Fave Sides
I usually throw together some garlic bread or do a green salad with loads of vinegar. Apparently, my husband claims it has to be served with roasted broccoli. Family traditions, you know? And a decent chardonnay doesn’t hurt.
Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me: My Pro Tips
- Let the cheese melt off the heat a bit, otherwise it clumps and you’ll end up with weird stringy bits. I once tried rushing this and, well, we practically needed scissors at the table.
- Don’t panic if the sauce looks thin before adding the pasta. It thickens up, promise.
You Asked, I Answered: Quick FAQ
- Can I use pre-cooked chicken? Yep, just toss it in at the end so it warms through. Go easy so it won’t dry out, though.
- Is this freezable? Technically yes, but when I tried, the sauce got a bit grainy. It’s edible, but not magic.
- Gluten free pasta—will that work? Definitely, but taste test early. Some brands go mushy faster than others.
- What if I don’t like Parmesan? First, wow. But second, swap for another hard cheese, like Grana Padano or even a sharp cheddar in a pinch.
- For more pasta ideas, I genuinely love Half Baked Harvest’s pasta page. And if you want to nerd out about parmesan, check out Cheese.com’s parmesan guide (Warning: you’ll get hungry browsing).
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) penne pasta
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb/450 g), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
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1Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
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2Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and season with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Cook for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through.
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3Reduce the heat to medium and add minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
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4Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
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5Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the chicken and creamy parmesan sauce. Toss until well combined and heated through.
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6Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley if desired.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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