Description
Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken & Rotini in Parmesan Sauce is a rich and flavorful one-pan dish featuring tender seared chicken, perfectly cooked rotini pasta, and a luscious garlic butter Parmesan cream sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it offers comforting, family-friendly flavors with minimal cleanup, suitable for quick weeknight dinners or cozy weekend meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 2 chicken breasts (about 1 lb), tender and juicy
Pasta
- 8 oz rotini pasta
Sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, freshly minced
- 3 tbsp butter, divided (for cooking chicken and sauce)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, aged and finely grated
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Seasonings
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside to rest.
- Cook the Rotini Pasta: While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and set pasta aside.
- Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden. Pour in chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens and becomes silky.
- Combine Everything: Slice rested chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces. Return chicken to the skillet with sauce, add cooked rotini, and toss until pasta is fully coated. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water as needed. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional cheese to taste.
- Serve Warm and Enjoy: Plate the dish immediately while hot. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and extra Parmesan if desired. Serve with side dishes or toppings of your choice.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan and fresh garlic for best flavor; pre-grated cheese can be less flavorful.
- Do not overcook chicken to keep it tender and juicy.
- Reserve some pasta water to loosen and bind the sauce perfectly to the pasta.
- Simmer sauce gently and avoid boiling cream to prevent curdling.
- Taste and adjust seasonings frequently for balanced flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Searing and Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
Keywords: creamy garlic butter chicken, rotini pasta, parmesan sauce, easy dinner, one-pan meal, creamy chicken pasta, weeknight recipe, comfort food