Description
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Creamy Parmesan Pasta is a quick and flavorful weeknight dinner featuring tender chicken sautéed in garlic butter, combined with a rich and creamy parmesan sauce tossed with your choice of spaghetti or fettuccine pasta. Ready in just 30 minutes, this comforting dish balances savory garlic flavors with a velvety texture and fresh parsley garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4-5 cloves fresh garlic, minced (divided)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (divided)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta
- 8 oz long pasta (spaghetti or fettuccine)
- 1 cup reserved pasta water (from cooking pasta)
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather all ingredients to ensure a smooth cooking process. Mince garlic, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, and have pasta ready.
- Sauté Garlic: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt half of the unsalted butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Cook Chicken: Season chicken bites with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and sear, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add More Butter and Garlic: Stir in the remaining butter and add additional minced garlic. Let the mixture simmer for 3 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Make Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream. Gradually add the freshly grated parmesan cheese while stirring constantly until the sauce is well combined, smooth, and creamy.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the chicken and parmesan sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley on top before serving to add a fresh vibrant note.
Notes
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for best melting and flavor results.
- Reserve pasta water helps to adjust sauce consistency and helps it cling to the pasta.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter option, but the sauce will be less rich.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free pasta.
- Cooking chicken evenly in bite-sized pieces ensures they remain tender and juicy.
