Creamy Chicken Pasta

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This creamy chicken pasta combines tender linguine, golden chicken, and a velvety garlic parmesan sauce for a simple, restaurant-worthy dinner at home.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 1148kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

Pasta and Chicken

12 ounces linguine noodles (¾ pound)
4 boneless skinless chicken cutlets pounded to an even ½-inch thickness (approximately 1½ pounds)
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt plus additional for pasta water
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil start with 2 tablespoons to fry the first side of the cutlets, if needed add the additional 1 tablespoon to fry the second side

Sauce

6 tablespoons salted butter room temperature
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1½ cups whole milk
1¼ cups heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese plus additional for optional garnish
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley optional garnish

Instructions

Pasta and Chicken

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.
12 ounces linguine noodles
In a large shallow dish whisk together the all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Lightly coat both sides of the chicken cutlets with the seasoned flour, being sure to shake off any excess back into the dish, and place onto a large clean plate.
4 boneless skinless chicken cutlets
Add the olive oil to a large (12-inch) skillet preheated over medium-high heat. Place the coated chicken in a single layer and cook for 5-7 minutes per side or just until golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Remove the browned chicken from the skillet and place onto a clean plate. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing into thin strips. Set aside while making the sauce.

Sauce

Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine until no dry flour remains. Cook for 1 minute or just until the flour is a pale golden color.
6 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Slowly add the whole milk while whisking constantly to ensure no lumps form. Whisk in the heavy cream and bring the sauce to a low boil.
1½ cups whole milk, 1¼ cups heavy cream
Once the sauce starts to bubble, cook for 2-3 minutes or until thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the parmesan cheese until a smooth sauce is formed.
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Add the linguine noodles to the sauce, toss to coat the noodles with the sauce.
Add the sliced chicken to the skillet and gently fold to incorporate it into the pasta and sauce.
Garnish with a light sprinkle of additional grated parmesan cheese and finely chopped fresh parsley if desired before serving.
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley

Notes

Notes & Tips

Fresh Cheese is Key: Please use freshly grated Parmesan cheese from a block! Pre-packaged grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that will make your sauce grainy and prevent it from melting smoothly.
Sauce Consistency: This sauce is designed to be thick and cling to the pasta. It will thicken further as it cools. If you need to thin it out while cooking, just add a tiny splash of pasta water or extra milk.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat. You will likely need to add a splash of milk or broth to loosen the sauce back up to its original creamy texture.
Chicken Prep: If your chicken breasts are very large, slice them in half lengthwise to create 4 thinner cutlets before pounding them.

Nutrition