Description
Indulgent Garlic Butter Chicken with Velvety Parmesan Linguine is a rich and creamy pasta dish featuring tender, seared chicken breast pieces cooked in a luscious garlic butter sauce, combined with rigatoni noodles tossed in a velvety Parmesan cream sauce. This dish offers a flavorful and comforting meal perfect for a quick yet impressive weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 lbs Chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp Salt
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian herbs
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 3 tbsp Butter
Pasta and Sauce
- 12 oz Rigatoni pasta (or linguine/spaghetti)
- 2 cups Heavy cream
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Salt (for pasta water and sauce)
Garnish
- 2 tbsp Chopped parsley
- Extra grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels then season it generously with salt, black pepper, and Italian herbs. Set aside while heating your skillet.
- Searing the chicken: Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbling, add the chicken pieces and sear them for approximately 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cooking the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add rigatoni pasta and cook according to package instructions, roughly 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Preparing the sauce: In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Combining pasta and sauce: Toss the drained rigatoni into the skillet with the creamy garlic sauce, stirring well to coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce becomes too thick, gradually add the reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
- Serving: Slice the seared chicken into bite-sized pieces and arrange them on top of the creamy pasta. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately to enjoy the dish at its best.
Notes
- You can substitute rigatoni with linguine or spaghetti based on preference.
- For a lighter sauce, use light cream instead of heavy cream and substitute butter with olive oil.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese enhances flavor more than pre-grated versions.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat gently to avoid curdling the sauce.
- Adding mozzarella cheese provides extra creaminess but can be omitted for a sharper Parmesan flavor.
