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Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta is a delicious and comforting dish that is sure to please. This easy-to-make recipe features tender chicken and al dente pasta smothered in a rich and creamy garlic sauce.
Perfect for a cozy night in or a dinner party with friends, this creamy garlic chicken penne pasta recipe is a crowd-pleaser that will leave everyone wanting seconds. Start the meal with a hearty Steakhouse Chopped Salad and end with a delicious Strawberry Ice Cream Cake!
This chicken penne pasta recipe is a thing of beauty. Tender pasta and chicken coated in a rich creamy, and incredibly flavorful sauce with so much garlic – the aroma alone will have you melting.
The sauce is super creamy and flavorful with tons of garlic. You can adjust the amount if you want a little less.
Ingredients
- Penne pasta – The preferred pasta cut for this recipe, but honestly any type of pasta will work.
- Chicken Breast – boneless and skinless. While you can use thighs, I don’t recommend it because they can be a little greasy.
- Garlic – Fresh is generally preferred, but especially for this recipe it adds a lot of the flavor.
- Flour and butter – To make a roux that will thicken the sauce.
- Milk – I use nonfat milk but a higher fat percentage will give you an even creamier finished dish.
- Chicken broth – Opt for the low sodium variety or make your own.
- Italian seasoning – If you don’t have this particular blend you can use some dried basil and oregano.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly shredded off the block. The pre-grated cheese will not melt into the sauce.
- You will also need fresh parsley, olive oil and salt and pepper.
How to Make Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
The Pasta: Get a good quality penne pasta like De Cecco and cook it according to the instructions on the package. Usually, the amount of time needed to cook is universal, but it can vary by brand. You want to cook to “al dente” which means that it’s tender but still has a bite to it.
The Chicken: Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season them with salt and pepper. You could also cook the breasts whole, it will just take a bit more time. Cook them in olive oil or butter in a large skillet until browned and cooked through.
The Sauce. The garlic cream sauce starts with a roux made from butter and flour. There’s a ton of garlic cooked into it, for that deep garlic flavor you’d expect from something called Garlic Chicken Penne Pasta. Add some milk and chicken broth to form the sauce, then add Parmesan for another layer of flavor. finish it off with some fresh chopped parsley.
Combine. Stir the chicken and pasta into the sauce and mix everything together, then it’s time to dig in!
We love this meal, because it’s easy, it’s quick and it’s super creamy and flavorful.
FAQs
This is tough to make in advance because the pasta absorbs some of the sauce as it reheats. You can certainly prep things in advance like the pasta and the chicken, but I recommend making the sauce fresh.
Pre-grated cheese, whether in a green can or a plastic bag, has a starchy anti-caking agent that keeps the cheese from sticking together. It also prevents proper melting, so I don’t recommend it.
You can, but thighs are more greasy so they don’t work as well in the cream sauce.
Serving
Serve with your favorite green veggies, like Air Fryer Green Beans or Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or start the meal with a Caesar Salad and Air Fryer Garlic Bread.
For a complete one-dish meal, stir in some steamed broccoli
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave.
Expert Tips
- If you want an extra cheesy sauce, add more Parmesan or an additional cheese like Mozzarella.
- Add the cheese a little at a time for the best melting.
- Wait to add salt until the end. Parmesan can be salty and you want to taste before adding more.
- Stir in some steamed broccoli to the finished dish for a complete meal.
More Pasta Recipes
- One Pot Chicken Alfredo
- One Pot Cheesy Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Tortellini with Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- Authentic Pasta Carbonara
Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup milk (any fat percentage)
- 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium recommended)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese divided
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley chopped, plus more for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook to al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Cook the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, add to skillet, and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Make the sauce. Add butter to the same skillet and melt over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in flour and Italian seasoning; cook for about 1 minute until golden.
- Add liquids. Slowly whisk in milk and chicken broth. Simmer for several minutes, whisking often, until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Add cheese. Remove from heat. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
- Combine everything. Add cooked pasta and chicken to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly with the sauce. Stir in remaining Parmesan and chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
- Salt your pasta water generously for well-seasoned noodles.
- Add cheese off the heat to prevent clumping.
- If sauce is too thick: stir in reserved pasta water or a splash of milk.
- If sauce is too thin: simmer for another minute or two to reduce.
- Creamier sauce: add an extra splash of cream or a couple tablespoons of cream cheese.
- More/Less Garlic: 5-6 cloves garlic gives bold flavor. Use 3-4 cloves for something milder.
- Add-Ins: Stir in steamed broccoli, fresh spinach, or sun-dried tomatoes before serving for a complete meal.
- Shrimp works beautifully as a protein swap. Cook until just pink (2-3 minutes per side) and set aside before making the sauce.
- Leftover rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut if you’re in a hurry.
- Any medium-cut pasta works: rotini, rigatoni, farfalle, or ziti.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce.
- Freezing is not recommended for cream-based sauces.
- Make-ahead: cook pasta and chicken separately and refrigerate. Make the sauce fresh and combine when ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Delicious. I used coconut milk (in a carton “Trader Joes”) I tried almond flour to make a roux ….didn’t work. I think you need the gluten to thicken I ended up using a corn starch slurry to thicken.
I added mushrooms, orange and yellow peppers, spinach and cherry tomatoes halved. We love vegetables and they were great in this dish. I was concerned that 5-6 cloves of garlic would be too much but, I was wrong. Next time I think I will add more garlic. My husband likes the fact the it wasn’t too heavy and he loved the veggies. He had 2nds. Yeah!!Thank you for the recipe and thanks to all who added their additions. A reminder for me when I make it again. Cook veggies first, remove, then chicken so that when you make the sauce you can use the fond on the bottom of the pan so it doesn’t burn.
Awesome feedback Loree! Thanks for taking the time to share with all of us.
This recipe is one of our family favorites. I double the recipe so we have lots of leftovers, and nothing ever goes to waste
Really easy to make, I had a single chicken breast I was trying to use up and this was perfect for that. Also, I recommend adding more spices to your liking for the chicken. I used Italian dried herbs and Spanish paprika.
Thank you for your feedback Tina!