Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta in 30 Minutes

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is an easy 30-minute dinner made with juicy chicken, tender pasta, and a rich garlic butter parmesan sauce. It's cozy, simple, and perfect for busy nights when you want something satisfying without a complicated recipe.

This garlic parmesan chicken pasta is the kind of easy weeknight dinner I come back to again and again. If you're a fan of creamy, cozy pasta dishes, this recipe is packed with garlic, butter, herbs, and parmesan and comes together fast with minimal dishes. It has the same comforting, creamy appeal as my chicken alfredo and old-fashioned baked macaroni and cheese, with a rich garlic parmesan sauce and an easy weeknight twist.

Key Ingredients

• Chicken breasts. I recommend thin-sliced chicken breasts, or you can pound out regular-sized chicken breasts with a meat mallet. Make this with air fryer parmesan-crusted chicken if you prefer a crispy chicken topping and added texture.
• Coconut milk. I love using full-fat coconut milk for a rich, creamy sauce, just like in my creamy Tuscan chicken. You can easily swap in heavy cream or whole milk if preferred.
• Fresh spinach. Spinach is a great no-fuss vegetable to add to any pasta dish. You can also try frozen peas or diced asparagus.

See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

Bring water to a boil. Cook pasta in a large pot according to the package instructions until al dente.

Step 1: While the pasta cooks add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the chicken before cooking. In a large pan, melt the butter and cook the chicken for 5 minutes per side. Allow the chicken to cool before slicing.

Step 2: Heat more butter if needed and saute the garlic and lemon juice until fragrant. Add in the flour and whisk until it turns golden brown. Whisk in coconut milk or heavy cream, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.

Step 3: Turn off the stove and add spices, red pepper flakes, parmesan, and spinach. Mix until spinach is wilted.

Step 4: Add the pasta back to the pan to coat with the sauce. Top with the sliced chicken and parmesan and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

This pasta is definitely hearty enough to stand on its own, but I never say no to some warm, crusty bread for soaking up the extra sauce. If you're making it for company or just want dinner to feel a little more special, start with my Bruschetta Caprese and add a simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette on the side.

When I'm in the mood for something with that same cozy Italian-style flavor but a little more spoonable, I'll make my Italian sausage and kale soup with ditalini instead.

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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (30 Minute Dinner)

Author: Sarah Hill

Yields: 4 Servings

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is cozy comfort food made simple. This easy one-pot recipe comes together in 30 minutes with pantry staples and juicy chicken for a rich, flavorful dinner your whole family will love.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1 (16 ounce) package of penne
• ▢ 3 thin-sliced chicken breasts
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons flour, cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• ▢ 1 can of full-fat coconut milk or 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• ▢ 5 ounces baby spinach

Instructions 

• Bring water to a boil in a large pot and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
  1 (16 ounce) package of penne
• Season chicken with ½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
  3 thin-sliced chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until it is cooked through.
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
• Add more butter to the pan, if necessary. Then add in the garlic and lemon juice and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Add in the flour and mix until slightly browned, about 30 seconds-1 minute.
  2 tablespoons flour
• Whisk in the coconut milk or heavy cream. Cook, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened and creamy.
  1 can of full-fat coconut milk or 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• Turn off the heat, add in the spices, parmesan and spinach.
  ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, 5 ounces baby spinach
• Stir until the spinach is wilted. Add the pasta back to the pan to coat with the sauce.
• Top with the sliced chicken, more parmesan, serve and enjoy.

Sarah's Tips

• Use thinly sliced chicken. Using a thinner cut of chicken will reduce your cooking time.
• Cut out the red pepper flakes. For those picky eaters or for those with a mild heat preference serve the red pepper flakes on the side.
• Cut chicken into small pieces. It's best to serve bite-size pieces of chicken so you don't have to cut while eating.
• Store your leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or on the stovetop over low heat.

Tools I Use for This Recipe

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Saucepan
• Large Skillet

Show Nutrition Information Hide Nutrition Information

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 80.22kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.13g | Protein: 1.77g | Fat: 5.93g | Saturated Fat: 3.64g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.32g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.49g | Trans Fat: 0.23g | Cholesterol: 15.05mg | Sodium: 903.72mg | Potassium: 234.89mg | Fiber: 1.34g | Sugar: 0.33g | Vitamin A: 3546.64IU | Vitamin C: 12.36mg | Calcium: 54.13mg | Iron: 1.46mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

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