This Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken is a comfort food classic with eight cloves of garlic, a finish of fresh lemon zest, and a drizzle of olive oil in a classic cream sauce. The garlic mellows as it simmers into the sauce, so every bite is deep and savory, never sharp. It's a one-pan dinner with the same bright, lemony finish as my creamy Chicken Orzo Bake.
Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken At A Glance
- ⏱️ Total Time: 40 minutes (15 min prep + 25 min cook)
- 🍽️ Servings: 4
- 🌿 Cuisine Type: American Comfort with a Mediterranean Twist
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Rich, garlicky, and cheesy, with bright lemon zest cutting through the cream so it never feels heavy
- 📋 Dietary Info: Contains dairy and gluten; can be made gluten-free with a simple pasta swap
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days; cream sauces don't freeze well, best enjoyed fresh
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Eight cloves of garlic mellow into deep, savory flavor while lemon keeps every bite bright. Feels like restaurant comfort food, but comes together in one skillet in under 40 minutes
Garlic, lemon, and olive oil are the backbone of Mediterranean cooking, and this pasta leans on all three instead of relying on cream alone. It's the same instinct behind my Tuscan lemon chicken and my Middle Eastern chicken: let garlic and citrus do the heavy lifting so the dish tastes bright, not just rich.
Jump to:
This is the kind of dinner that earns a permanent spot in your pasta rotation, easy enough for a weekday, special enough for company. If creamy, comforting pasta is your love language, my French onion pasta and my Italian sausage pasta are two more worth keeping on repeat.
Key Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this garlic parmesan chicken and pasta:
- Garlic (8 cloves): This is not a typo. Most garlic parmesan recipes use 3 to 4 cloves, but simmering that much garlic directly in the cream sauce mellows it completely, no raw bite, just deep, savory flavor throughout. I tested it at 4 cloves, 6 cloves, and at 8, and 8 was the clear winner for actual garlic flavor instead of a garlic-adjacent cream sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grate it yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking starches that keep it from melting smoothly, which can make the sauce grainy instead of silky. Freshly grated parmesan is what gives this sauce its glossy finish.
- Lemon Zest: Added at the end, off the heat, so the oil in the zest stays bright instead of cooking flat. This is what keeps the rich cream sauce from tasting heavy after a few bites; it's a small addition with a big effect on flavor.
- Heavy Cream and Whole Milk: The combination gives you a sauce that's rich but still pourable. Using all cream it turned heavy and greasy, and using all milk didn't thicken it properly.
See the recipe card for quantities.
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Variations
- Za'atar Finish: Stir in ½ teaspoon of za'atar along with the lemon zest for an earthier, more distinctly Mediterranean edge. It's a small addition that ties this dish directly into the same flavor world as my Middle Eastern chicken.
- Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for a subtle kick that plays well against the lemon's brightness.
- Chicken Thighs Instead of Breasts: Boneless chicken thighs stay juicier and are more forgiving if you're newer to cooking chicken. The cook time stays about the same, just watch for golden color rather than a clock.
- Lighter Version: Swap the heavy cream for whole milk and whisk in an extra tablespoon of flour when you make the roux, this helps the sauce thicken without the cream. You'll lose a little richness, but the garlic and lemon still carry the dish, and it still coats the pasta well. I haven't tested this recipe with skim milk or other variations but you should be able to lighten this pasta to your own needs.
How To Make Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling. Cook the pasta until al dente, drain (reserving ½ cup of the water) and set the pasta aside.
Step 2: Season the chicken with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, and garlic powder. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the chicken, cooking for 6-8 minutes until cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
Step 3: Reduce the heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk and cream, whisking constantly. Add the the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese.
Step 4: Return the chicken to the skillet and add the pasta. Combine the sauce, pasta, and chicken. If the sauce is too thick, stir in the reserved pasta water. Top with fresh parsley, lemon zest, and more cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
Gwen's Pro Tip
Keep the heat at medium-low when you add the garlic to the butter. Thirty seconds is all it needs, but at too high a heat, 8 cloves can go from fragrant to bitter in the blink of an eye. Stir constantly and pull it as soon as you can smell it.
Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken FAQ's
No, not when it's cooked gently rather than raw. Sautéing garlic in butter over medium-low heat for about 30 seconds mellows its sharpness into something deep and savory. If you're nervous, start with 6 cloves and work your way up to 8 next time once you taste how mellow it becomes.
A tubular shape like penne, rigatoni, or cavatappi holds the sauce best. Long shapes like fettuccine work too, but the sauce won't cling as evenly.
This almost always comes down to the cheese or the heat. Pre-shredded parmesan is coated in anti-caking starches that prevent smooth melting, and adding cheese over heat that's too high can cause it to separate. Grate your own parmesan and let the sauce cool slightly off the heat before stirring it in.
Since the dish is rich, a bright, simple side balances it out. A green salad or a lemony vegetable side works well against the richness of the sauce.
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Thank you!
Gwen
Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Chicken
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Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- salt for the pasta water
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- red pepper flakes pinch
- 1 ¾ cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ cup pasta water reserved from draining
Garnish
- fresh parsley
- 1 lemon zested
- Parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
Chicken
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.salt for the pasta water
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.12 ounces penne pasta
- While the pasta cooks, season the chicken with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, and garlic powder.1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- Using the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low. Melt the butter and add the garlic, cooking for about 30 seconds until fragrant.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 8 garlic cloves
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth.2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream
- Add in the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken.1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, red pepper flakes
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually whisk in the Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.1 ¾ cups Parmesan cheese
- Return the cooked chicken and the pasta to the skillet. Combine all of the ingredients until evenly coated with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, stir in the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until you get to your desired consistency.½ cup pasta water
- Garnish with the lemon zest, fresh parsley, and extra cheese if desired. Serve immediately.fresh parsley, 1 lemon, Parmesan cheese
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