This super Easy Garlic Chicken Parmesan Pasta delivers creamy and comforting flavor in just 30 minutes. It’s a perfect go-to family weeknight dinner. Just add a steamed veggie or salad side and you are set!
I know, I know—I have a few creamy chicken pasta recipes up my sleeve. But trust me, this one’s a game-changer. The Easiest Garlic Chicken Parmesan Pasta stands out because it keeps things simple with fewer ingredients and skips the traditional roux for a quicker, easier way to thicken the sauce. It’s perfect for busy weeknights when you crave that classic garlicky, cheesy, creamy goodness without the fuss.
The tender chicken, seasoned with just salt and pepper, is juicy and savory, getting perfectly seared and browned in the pan. The garlic adds a fragrant and slightly pungent kick, infusing the entire dish with its robust and irresistible aroma.
Then the combination of chicken broth, milk, and parmesan with the help of cornstarch, creates a luscious, creamy parmesan sauce. It’s thickened just enough to coat the pasta and chicken without being too heavy. Get ready for a deliciously effortless meal that’s sure to become a new favorite for the whole family!
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Why it’s the Easiest Version of this Recipe
- Quick Preparation: The cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce in a fraction of the time it takes to make a roux, so this easy chicken pasta recipe faster to prepare.
- Consistent Thickening Results with Less Effort: No need to worry about perfectly cooking a roux. The cornstarch slurry is easy and foolproof and ensures a smooth, lump-free sauce every time, even for novice cooks.
- Trick so Parmesan Doesn’t Clump – I have you mix the parmesan into the slurry before adding so it distributes evenly into the sauce and doesn’t clump!
- Fewer Ingredients: With fewer ingredients required for thickening, the recipe is simpler and more straightforward.
- Family-Friendly: The flavors are kid-approved and appealing to all ages, making it a hit with the entire family.
- Versatile: Easily adaptable to include additional veggies or proteins based on what you have on hand.
- Weeknight Winner: Perfect for busy weeknights when you want a comforting, homemade meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
Simple Ingredients and Substitutes
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- Boneless skinless Chicken Breasts – You can substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – You can substitute with any neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, avocado oil, or even coconut oil.
- Parmesan Cheese – Parmesan adds more depth, salty, and nutty flavor to the sauce. Shredded is fine too. I recommend shredding your own cheese to reduce fillers and chemicals. If you don’t have parmesan cheese, you can substitute with shredded or grated pecorino romano cheeses, manchego cheese, cotija, gruyere, or other hard salty cheese.
- Milk – I used 1%, but whole milk or any other milk will work.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch is mixed with cold water usually, but I used milk in this dish, to create a cornstarch slurry. This is the thickener for the creamy garlic sauce.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley is best, don’t even bother with dried parsley. You can substitute in other fresh herbs, such as basil or oregano.
- Chicken stock or broth – Chicken base is great too. Substitutes are vegetable broth or a dry white wine.
- Fresh Garlic – Fresh is best when it comes to garlic, but you can buy pre-minced garlic to save time or mince it in bulk and freeze it for use when you need it! If you don’t have fresh, you can use garlic powder or flakes.
- Seasonings – I used very simple salt & ground black pepper, but you can add other seasonings or herbs, like Italian seasoning.
- Uncooked Dry Pasta – I used mezzi rigatoni pasta, which is a shorter rigatone, but any dry pasta will work, like fusilli or penne pasta.
See recipe card for quantities.
Simple Equipment
For this recipe, you will need a large pot for the pasta.
Use a large skillet/frying pan for making the chicken and creamy sauce. I use my absolute favorite 12″ Ceramic Pan, which is great because food really does slide right off with minimal oil and I don’t have to worry about food sticking and burning. You can also use a dutch oven or other wide bottom pot.
Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps
We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below)
Chop the parsley. Peel and mince or grate the garlic.
Cut the chicken into thin strips about 2 inches long. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper.
You can either move on to the cooking steps or store the chicken separately in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Store the parsley and garlic separately as well.
Cooking Steps
Bring a large pot of water up to a boil over high heat and add a tablespoon of salt. Cook the pasta for 5-7 minutes until al dente. If using fresh pasta, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. If the pasta is done cooking before you are ready to add it to the sauce, save a cup of the pasta water, then strain the pasta and set it aside.
TIP: wait to add the pasta to the boiling water until you have flipped the chicken. This will time it so that your pasta is ready when you are.
Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the olive oil and then the chicken strips to a preheated skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then flip the strips over to brown the other side.
Into a medium mixing bowl, add the parmesan cheese, the milk, and then whisk in the cornstarch.
Finally add the stock and most of the parsley (save some for garnish).
Turn down the heat to low heat and add the minced garlic to the pan with the cooked chicken. Then pour in the prepared sauce mixture.
Mix the al dente pasta into the pan or mix the chicken and sauce into the pot with the pasta (whichever option gives you more room to mix). Serve and enjoy!!
Substitutions for this Pasta Dish
Here are a few ideas for substitutions.
- Make it Gluten-Free – instead of using regular pasta, select a gluten-free option made with chickpeas or rice.
- Cornstarch slurry – Heavy cream or cream cheese are good replacements to achieve the thick sauce. You can also use the traditional roux method with equal parts flour and butter melted together, then whisking in milk.
- Vegetarian – the chicken breast can be replaced with a plant-based meat or add in eggplant, cauliflower steaks, or portobello mushrooms as a great addition without meat.
Variations
Garlic Chicken Parmesan Pasta is a versatile dish that can be adapted in numerous ways to suit different tastes and dietary preferences. Enjoy experimenting and creating your perfect version of this classic dish!
- Vegetable Dense – Incorporate vegetables like spinach, bell peppers, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes will enhance the meal.
- Pesto Twist – Mix in a couple of tablespoons of basil pesto with the garlic sauce for a fresh, herbaceous flavor then top with some toasted pine nuts.
- Spice it Up – Add red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeños for a spicy kick. You can also drizzle a bit of your favorite hot sauce over the finished dish for an extra layer of heat.
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Easiest Garlic Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breast boneless, skinless
- 2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- ½ cup Milk I used 1%, but any will work
- ¼ cup Parsley finely chopped
- 2 cups Chicken stock or broth
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black pepper
- 10 ounces Uncooked Dry Pasta (I used mezzi rigatoni pasta, but any dry pasta will work)
Instructions
Prep Ahead Steps
- Cut the chicken into thin strips about 2 inches long. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Chop the parsley. Peel and mince or grate the garlic.
- Into a medium mixing bowl, add the parmesan cheese, the milk, and then whisk in the cornstarch. Finally add the stock and most of the parsley (save some for garnish).
Cooking Steps
- Bring a large pot of water up to a boil over high heat and add a tablespoon of salt. Cook the pasta for 5-7 minutes until al dente. If using fresh pasta, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. If the pasta is done cooking before you are ready to add it to the sauce, save a cup of the pasta water, then strain the pasta and set it aside. (PRO TIP: wait to add the pasta to the boiling water until you have flipped the chicken. This will time it so that your pasta is ready when you are.)
- Preheat a large skillet or frying pan on high heat. Add the olive oil and then the chicken strips, separating them as much as possible into a single layer so that they all can get browned. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then flip the strips over to brown the other side. Reduce to medium heat and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
- Once the chicken is cooked through (no longer pink in the center) turn down the heat to low heat and add the minced garlic to the pan. Then pour in the prepared sauce mixture. Continuously stir it in with the chicken as it will thicken pretty quick once it hits the hot pan.
- At this point, you can mix the pasta into the pan or mix the chicken and sauce into the pot with the pasta (whichever option gives you more room to mix). Serve and enjoy!!
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