Creamy garlic parmesan chicken pasta, step by step
This is the dinner people ask Bobbie for by name. It is one skillet, about forty minutes, and it feeds six.
By Bobbie · Published 17 September 2026 · Updated 17 September 2026 · 5 minute read
If you only ever cook one dinner from this site, cook this one. It is the recipe Bobbie gets asked for most often, and the reason is not complicated: it tastes like a restaurant plate of pasta but it happens in one skillet on a normal weeknight, while the pasta water is still on the stove.
Nothing here is difficult. The chicken is seasoned, browned and sliced. The sauce is built in the same pan so none of the flavour is thrown away. The pasta goes in at the end and everything gets tossed together. Read the six steps below once before you start and you will not need to look at your phone again.
What makes the sauce creamy without splitting?
Two things. First, the heat comes down to medium before any dairy goes in — cream boiled hard is cream that separates. Second, there is cream cheese in with the heavy cream and milk, whisked until smooth, which gives the sauce body so it clings to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
The parmesan matters too. Grate it yourself if you can. Pre-grated cheese is coated so it does not stick together in the bag, and that coating is exactly what stops it melting into a smooth sauce.
How do you know the chicken is done?
Colour is not proof. Bobbie cooks the breasts 5 to 7 minutes a side until golden and cooked through, and checks the middle reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Then it rests for five minutes before slicing, which keeps the juices in the meat rather than on the board.
What to do with what is left over
Bobbie's own note on this recipe: leftovers keep in the fridge for up to three days, and they reheat best gently on the stove with a splash of milk stirred through — the milk loosens a sauce that has firmed up in the cold. A microwave works, but it tightens the sauce.
Her other shortcuts, in her words: grilled or rotisserie chicken speeds the whole thing up, spinach, mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes add extra flavour, and half & half in place of the cream lightens it.
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta — what you need and what to do
Serves 6 · 40 minutes total
Ingredients
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 12 oz fettuccine or pasta of choice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk (or half & half)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup cream cheese (for extra creaminess)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- 1 tbsp butter
- Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)
Method, step by step
- 1Cook the pasta: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- 2Season the chicken: while the pasta cooks, season the chicken with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- 3Cook the chicken: in a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5–7 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C). Remove from the skillet, let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice into strips.
- 4Make the sauce: in the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp butter and the minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and milk, stirring constantly. Add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using). Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- 5Combine: add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Add the sliced chicken and gently mix until everything is well combined.
- 6Serve: plate warm, garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve with a squeeze of lemon if desired.