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Velvety Parmesan cream sauce hugs every piece of juicy chicken and rigatoni in this dreamy garlic butter pasta. You’ll get bursts of flavor from every forkful. Try it when you’re short on time. This dish is just what you crave after a crazy weekday—ready fast but tastes totally special.
I threw this pasta together when my Italian grandma was in town. I wanted her to see I could keep our family traditions alive without fancy tricks. She ended up asking me how I made it, and honestly, that felt like a huge win for me.
Dazzling Ingredients
- Italian seasoning mix: Gives you a nice balance of herbs in a flash
- Rigatoni: Its thick tubes grab and keep every bit of creamy goodness
- Fresh and powdered garlic: Layers of garlicky goodness in both sauce and chicken
- Parmesan cheese: Pick up a chunk and grate it yourself for the smoothest finish and boldest Parmesan taste
- Chicken breasts: Cut up small for quick cooking and bites in every mouthful
- Heavy cream: The key to the rich and lush sauce texture
- Reserved pasta water: A hidden trick for clingy, shiny sauce from the pasta starches
- Smoked paprika: Just a little gives the whole thing a mellow, smoky warmth
Easy Step-by-Step
- Come Together at the End:
- Toss in chicken and pasta with your silky sauce. Stir it all so everything’s coated and hot. Too thick? Dribble in a splash of saved pasta water and mix again. Melting mozzarella on top is optional but super tasty. Take the pan off the heat, sprinkle more cheese and herbs, then let it sit so the sauce soaks in. Serve right away in your favorite big bowls.
- Start That Parmesan Sauce:
- Back in the same pan, drop in more butter and let it melt, then add fresh minced garlic. Keep it moving for half a minute—don’t let it get brown or it’ll turn bitter. Stir in flour until it forms a paste—keep whisking for about a minute. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking so it stays smooth. Once it’s creamy, mix in the heavy cream. When the sauce thickens up, add Parmesan a bit at a time, stirring so it melts in. Toss in your herbs, salt, pepper, and some pepper flakes if you’re into it. Let it simmer a couple minutes till it’s perfectly creamy and coats your spoon.
- Get Chicken Going:
- Dice up chicken so it cooks fast, about one inch bits. Toss the pieces in a bowl with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil and a chunk of butter in a big skillet on medium-high. When it’s hot and bubbly, spread out chicken chunks—don’t crowd them or you won’t get that nice brown crust. Give it four or five minutes, flipping so all sides get golden and the middle is cooked through (165°F on a thermometer). Scoop chicken out but leave all the juicy bits in the pan.
- Make That Pasta:
- Salt a big pot of water super well so your pasta gets flavor all the way through. Boil it, then toss in the rigatoni. Cook until just barely tender; check package for times, but usually around 9 to 11 minutes. Scoop out half a cup of the hot, milky water before draining—don’t rinse the pasta after, or you’ll lose the sticky starch you need for a good sauce.
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If you think smoked paprika isn’t that big a deal, try it just once here. I found out how much it adds the hard way—my regular paprika ran out while I had people over. Now, I never skip it, and friends always tell me there’s a hint of something extra that makes it unforgettable.
Lighter Options
Want something not so heavy? Grab half and half instead of heavy cream, or even use mostly milk with a bit of cream. Use less butter and add more of that pasta water so the sauce keeps its smooth feel. It won’t taste as rich, but you’ll still get big garlic-Parmesan flavor. Toss in a couple handfuls of baby spinach at the end if you’d like more veggies—the heat will wilt it just right.
Best Side Dishes
This creamy chicken pasta shines with simple sides. Make a peppery arugula salad with lemon, olive oil, and Parmesan—it’s zingy and fresh. Roasted broccolini or asparagus brings in a little crunch and matches the garlicky flavors. For bread, keep it basic: olive oil-brushed ciabatta is awesome for scooping up any sauce left in your bowl.
Fix-It Tricks
If your cream sauce wants to split or turn grainy, pull the pan off the hot burner before stirring in Parmesan. Don’t let the sauce boil once the cream is in—just gentle heat. If things get too thick, add a bit more pasta water and stir. Too thin? Let it bubble a little while and it should thicken right up. Remember, sauce keeps getting thicker as it sits, so it’s better to leave it a bit loose.
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Kick back and enjoy a fancy-tasting meal without hardly any work. Bet you’ll want to make this again soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use a different pasta shape?
Totally! Rigatoni’s great for catching sauce, but you can swap in farfalle, fusilli, or penne and it’ll still turn out awesome. Just go with noodles that are kind of chunky or textured so the sauce sticks.
- → How can I make this dish lighter?
Cut down on calories by reaching for half-and-half instead of regular cream, and use chicken broth to thin the sauce. Lighten things more with less butter and cheese, and feel free to swap in chicken thighs or whole grain pasta for a different vibe.
- → Can I make this ahead of time?
If you prep ahead, keep the parts apart — like cook the pasta barely tender, toss with oil, and store away from the sauce and chicken. When it’s dinner time, mix them all and warm it up gently with milk or broth so everything stays nice and creamy.
- → What can I add to make this dish more colorful?
If you want some color and veggie goodness, toss in sautéed spinach, roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, or broccoli right with the pasta and chicken before mixing everything together.
- → Is there a way to make this dairy-free?
For a dairy-free take, just fry things in olive oil or a plant-based butter, swap coconut cream for dairy cream, and go for nutritional yeast or vegan cheese instead of parmesan. It’ll taste a little different, but still yummy.
- → How do I prevent the cream sauce from breaking?
If your sauce is splitting or looks weird, it probably got too hot. Once the cream goes in, keep the heat gentle, and stir the cheese in after you turn the heat off. If you’re reheating, go slow and steer clear of boiling.