Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Pasta and chicken have got to be two of my family’s most-devoured foods! So when I can put them together, it’s always a hit! My family especially loves this Instant Pot Chicken Penne!

One thing I do to make weeknight meals a breeze is to get a rotisserie chicken, shred it over the weekend, and use it for recipes throughout the week. Or, I’ll cook up a few frozen chicken breasts in the air fryer, which is also super easy!

A few of my go-to dishes using cooked chicken are of course, this garlic parmesan pasta, but also these Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls , this Creamy Enchilada Skillet and my super easy Chicken Broccoli Lasagna!

This creamy garlic parmesan pasta will become a quick family favorite! The sauce is rich and flavorful but NOT heavy or thick (the chicken stock helps with that!). You can leave out the chicken, too and it makes a great side dish or small pasta course!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Quick and easy, perfect for a weeknight meal!
• BASIC ingredients come together to make a super flavorful dish!
• Great way to use up leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken!
• Perfect pasta main course or works well as a side dish, too!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta:

INGREDIENT NOTES

Chicken: I like having pre cooked chicken on hand like rotisserie chicken or these easy Air Fryer Chicken Breasts to help this meal come together super quickly! You can also cook perfect chicken breasts in a pan and use those as well!

Parmesan: While pre grated parm saves a little time, for this recipe, take the extra few minutes and grate it fresh. It melts much more smoothly, giving you a super silky un-clumpy sauce 🙂

Pasta: ANY shape pasta will work here! Use your fave!

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Over low heat, melt butter. Then add garlic and flour and cook for one minute.

Step 2: Turn heat up to medium and add chicken stock and cream. Season with salt. When it comes to a boil, simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Step 3: Stir in parmesan cheese and chicken.

Step 4: Cook until heated through, then add you pasta. Toss until pasta is well coated with the sauce and serve!

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS

• While I LOVE pre grated Parmesan cheese, for this recipe (and others involving melting the parmesan), use freshly grated cheese. Pre grated cheese has a tendency to clump up while freshly grated cheese, melts smoothly into the sauce.
• A squeeze of lemon and some fresh ground pepper at the end make this dish super delish!

STORAGE & REHEATING

Leftovers: You can store leftovers right in the pan with a tight-fitting lid, in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, just add a splash of cream or chicken stock to the pan and heat it over medium heat until warmed through.

You can also store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the microwave on full power for a minute or so. Adding a splash of chicken stock helps loosen the sauce and makes it creamy again.

Freezing: You can freeze leftovers in a freezer bag or freezer safe, air tight container. To reheat, thaw pasta. Reheat in a pan with a splash of cream and chicken stick to liven up the sauce. Cook 3-4 minutes over medium until heated through.

ADDITIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS

• Vegetarian: You can make this dish vegetarian by ditching the chicken and substituting veggies! Asparagus or broccoli would make great additions. Steam veggies in the microwave for a minute or so until they are crisp tender, then add them into the sauce!
• Keto/Low Carb: Omit the pasta and serve this over zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or a low carb pasta such as chickpea pasta!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I use chicken thighs for this pasta dish?

Absolutely! Cooked and chopped chicken thighs would be delicious!

What do you serve with this?

A nice, fresh arugula salad and this perfect air fryer garlic bread or Texas toast would be perfect sides for this dish!

Can I substitute the cream for half and half?

Yes, however the sauce doesn’t thicken up quite as well. I would increase the flour to one full tablespoon if you are substituting half and half.