Go Back
–+ servings
A close-up of creamy bowtie pasta with spinach and sliced grilled chicken in a large blue-edged pot on a wooden surface.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta

This easy one-pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta recipe is on the table in less than an hour with tender chicken, creamy sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta — all in one delicious dish your family will love!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Salt
Servings: 6
Author: Melissa Griffiths

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds chicken breast boneless skinless
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 16 ounces bowtie pasta
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 ounces baby spinach 3-6 ounces
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

  • Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  • Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4–6 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • In the same pan, melt butter. Add diced onion and cook 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add chicken broth to the pot, scraping the bottom to deglaze. Stir in the pasta. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook 12–15 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
  • Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Slice the cooked chicken and stir it back into the pot. Serve hot.

Notes

Recipe Variations:
  • If your people are going to revolt about wilted spinach, you can leave it out. You can also add in any other vegetables that you like or have on hand. This recipe is great with frozen peas or broccoli stirred in at the end (just cook until heated through). 
  • The Italian seasoning on the chicken was just easy for me to use, a one stop shop if you will, but you can use any other seasoning blend that you like or have on hand for chicken.
  • If you don't have cream on hand you can swap it out for a can of evaporated milk!
  • You can use other types of pasta, just cook until they are cooked through.
 
Add More Liquid If Needed: If the pasta isn't cooked but the liquid is absorbed you can add an additional 1/4 cup of water of broth as needed, stirring very often, until the pasta is cooked through.
Use Room Temperature Chicken: Take your chicken out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before cooking to bring it closer to room temperature. This ensures the chicken cooks evenly and prevents the outside from overcooking while the inside is still raw. Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning for the best sear.
Cook Pasta Just Until Al Dente: Since the pasta will continue cooking slightly in the hot sauce after you add the cream, aim for just barely al dente when testing. This prevents mushy pasta and ensures the perfect texture in your finished garlic parmesan chicken and pasta dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 706kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 961mg | Potassium: 949mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2178IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 3mg

QR code

Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.

qr code