Garlic parmesan chicken pasta is one of my son John’s favorite pasta recipes. He is fond of cooking and loves to toss his favorite penne pasta in garlic parmesan cheese sauce and serve it with brown chicken tenderloin every weekend. He always said, “Mom, my secret ingredient to this pasta is Sun-dried tomatoes,” and I can’t resist this statement!
This recipe is from John’s mini kitchen. I love how this recipe is so delicious and better than any “fancy” restaurant.
Table of Contents
Why Will You Love Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Simple Fancy Meal at Home: Chicken garlic parmesan pasta is easy to make in less than an hour and calls for simple ingredients that you can find in your pantry. You don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant for your favorite meal; instead, make it at home and impress your family.
- Add Your Favorite Additions: You can improvise the dish with your favorite meat, like shrimp or beef steak, instead of chicken. You can add spinach or tomatoes but just don’t let John know about this!
- All in One: One of my favorite things about this pasta is that it offers protein and carbohydrates simultaneously. Oh, I forgot cheese and olive oil, which are basically the dairy part and good fats as well.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast: This creamy chicken pasta calls for 1 pound of chicken breast tenderloin. You can also use cooked shrimp or steak instead of chicken. Chicken breasts will also work, but chicken tenderloins are the best.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, and red pepper flakes will do the work of seasonings.
- Olive Oil: We use about 1 and a 1/2 tablespoons of oil to cook seasoned chicken.
- Penne Pasta: You need a box of 8 oz of penne pasta or any of your favorite pasta.
- Butter: You must have 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to make the sauce.
- Onion: You need a small white onion that is chopped.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes: John’s secret ingredient is sun-dried tomatoes. Chop the sundried tomatoes, and they will add a significant flavor to pasta.
- Garlic: Garlic is another strong ingredient on the list. Take 3 cloves of fresh minced garlic. I asked my son to add garlic powder, but no one can beat fresh garlic.
- Half and half: 1 cup of half and half adds a creamy twist to the pasta when it combines with parmesan cheese.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds a fancy, cheesy, Italian restaurant taste to the pasta. Use the grated one.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley gives a fresh flavor, and it is totally optional.
Instructions
1.Season the Chicken
Season the chicken tenderloin with salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, and dried thyme. Make sure that all the chicken is coated with the seasoning properly.
2.Cook the Chicken
Pour olive oil into the saucepan and add the seasoned chicken tenderloins. Cook on medium-low flame or gentle heat for 3 minutes on one side. Flip the chicken and cook the other side for another 3 minutes until it is cooked well and turns nice and brown. Once the chicken is cooked, take it out and set aside.
3.Boil the Pasta to Al dente
While I was cooking the chicken, I put the water with a pinch of salt on the flame to boil. Add the penne or your favorite pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 7-10 minutes or until al dente, then drain. If you are unsure about boiling the pasta to al dente, then just cook according to the package instructions. Set aside ½ cup pasta water for later use.
4.Cook the Secret Ingredients
Melt the butter over a medium flame in the same saucepan in which we cooked the chicken. Once the butter is melted, toss in chopped white onion. Cook the onions for 1-2 minutes, or until they are caramelized. Toss the sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic. Cook for about half a minute, or just until the garlic begins to be fragrant.
5.Creamy Twist
Toss half-and-half and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix and stir everything together until a creamy, cheesy, thick sauce consistency is achieved. Add ½ a cup of pasta water that we have separated from the thick sauce to thin it out.
6.Toss the Pasta
Toss the cooked penne pasta in the creamy sauce. Add chopped parsley for a refreshing flavor. Toss the cooked chicken and fold everything together. Turn off the heat and serve in a pasta dish.
Variations
- Spinach and fresh tomatoes can be added to the pasta for additional goodness.
- More and more cheese
- You can make the variation with meat. I use chicken for this pasta. You can add beef steak instead of chicken. I have not tested the recipe with beef steak, but I am sure that it tastes good.
What to Serve with Chicken Garlic Parmesan
You can serve this hearty meal with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, green salad, drinks, or side appetizers for an aesthetically pleasing restaurant-worthy dinner. I don’t feel shy about serving roasted broccoli and asparagus. I prepare the roasted veggies alongside John when he prepares this pasta, and trust me, it enhances the overall taste.
Expert Tips
- Cooking Chicken Can Be Tricky: Sear the chicken without moving it much, as this will help in the Maillard reaction, creating a nice brown crust outside. Check the temperature of the chicken with help of meat thermometer. If it reads the internal temperature of chicken as 165°F, then it means it is cooked.
- Handle Garlic Carefully: To make the garlic bold and have a nice taste, never cook it too long. Just cook it until it is fragrant for about 30 seconds. Never burn the garlic because it tastes bitter.
- Present Like a Chef: Place the pasta in the center of the plate and top with chicken. Sprinkle fresh basil, pepper, or other herbs with shaved parmesan to create a beautiful presentation. Wipe the sides of the plate to clean the sauce mess for a neat presentation.
Easy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Total Time: 40 minutes
Description
Chicken garlic parmesan pasta is one of my son John’s favorite pasta recipes. He is fond of cooking and loves to toss his favorite penne pasta in garlic parmesan cheese sauce and serve it with brown chicken tenderloin every weekend. He always said, “Mom, my secret ingredient to this pasta is Sun-dried tomatoes,” and I can’t resist this statement!
This recipe is from John’s mini kitchen. I love how this recipe is so delicious and better than any “fancy” restaurant.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts, tenderloin
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 8 oz penne pasta (227g)
- 2 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained and chopped
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Season the chicken tenderloin with salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, and dried thyme. Make sure that all the chicken is coated with the seasoning properly.
- Cook the Chicken: Pour olive oil into the saucepan and add the seasoned chicken tenderloins. Cook on medium-low flame or gentle heat for 3 minutes on one side. Flip the chicken and cook the other side for another 3 minutes until it is cooked well and turns nice and brown. Once the chicken is cooked, take it out and set aside.
- Boil the Pasta to Al dente: While I was cooking the chicken, I put the water with a pinch of salt on the flame to boil. Add the penne or your favorite pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 7-10 minutes or until al dente, then drain. If you are unsure about boiling the pasta to al dente, then just cook according to the package instructions. Set aside ½ cup pasta water for later use.
- Cook the Secret Ingredients: Melt the butter over a medium flame in the same saucepan in which we cooked the chicken. Once the butter is melted, toss in chopped white onion. Cook the onions for 1-2 minutes, or until they are caramelized. Toss the sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic. Cook for about half a minute, or just until the garlic begins to be fragrant.
- Creamy Twist: Toss half-and-half and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix and stir everything together until a creamy, cheesy, thick sauce consistency is achieved. Add ½ a cup of pasta water that we have separated from the thick sauce to thin it out.
- Toss the Pasta: Toss the cooked penne pasta in the creamy sauce. Add chopped parsley for a refreshing flavor. Toss the cooked chicken and fold everything together. Turn off the heat and serve in a pasta dish.
Notes
- Cooking Chicken Can Be Tricky: Sear the chicken without moving it much, as this will help in the Maillard reaction, creating a nice brown crust outside. Check the temperature of the chicken with help of meat thermometer. If it reads the internal temperature of chicken as 165°F, then it means it is cooked.
- Handle Garlic Carefully: To make the garlic bold and have a nice taste, never cook it too long. Just cook it until it is fragrant for about 30 seconds. Never burn the garlic because it tastes bitter.
- Present Like a Chef: Place the pasta in the center of the plate and top with chicken. Sprinkle fresh basil, pepper, or other herbs with shaved parmesan to create a beautiful presentation. Wipe the sides of the plate to clean the sauce mess for a neat presentation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
FAQ’s For This Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Can I put boiled chicken in pasta?
Why not? Absolutely, you can put boiled chicken in pasta if you don’t feel like cooking chicken in a fancy way. The flavor of boiled chicken is balanced with the saucy and seasoned pasta. I often make pasta and serve it with boiled chicken, and it tastes amazing.
What to serve with chicken parmesan pasta?
Crusty toasted garlic or simple bread is a nice way to serve chicken parmesan pasta. Make a fresh green salad poured with a lot of olive oil and lemon juice. Roasted or lightly sautéed broccoli, beans, or asparagus is another excellent option to serve your pasta with!