Cozy season means stick-to-your-ribs cooking and we are knee deep in it, y'all.
Cozy cooking for me is braised meat, hearty carbs, sauces that give you the itis...good home cooking.
Sometimes that means a pot of creamy mushroom and rice soup bubbling away, or my Instant Pot short rib ragu with pan-fried gnocchi when I’m craving that restaurant-quality pasta night moment without leaving home.
Other times, it's a kid-friendly, weeknight pasta dinner that ends up a part of the family Clean Plate Club, just meat and noodles covered in sauce and cheese.
It's giving an amped up pseudo chicken alfredo recipe, which may be why my son (who does not like sauce, btw) likes this dish so much.
Jump to:
Easy Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta
This is cozy, cold weather comfort pasta made for weeknights and will be your new family favorite. Whenever I'm craving pasta, this is my go-to lately.
It's everything I'm craving after a long day: juicy chicken, rich and creamy pasta that the kids love, lots of flavor, and all done in 40 minutes. What's better than that?
The creamy garlic parmesan sauce comes together in the same pan we sear the chicken in, so we don't waste any of that good flavor, then we toss everything together in the same pot and serve.
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs - you can swap in boneless, skinless chicken breasts but they need to cook longer unless you pound them thin.
- Chicken Broth
- Shallots + Garlic - shallots are lighter allium with a mild onion flavor.
- Sherry Wine - Dry sherry gives the sauce a rounder, richer flavor without the sharp edge of white wine.
- Vegetable Oil - this is for high-heat searing, do not use olive oil for butter for this.
- Butter + Flour - this makes our beurre manie for the sauce.
- Dried Thyme + Red Pepper Flakes - provides flavor and a touch of heat.
- Heavy Cream or Milk
- Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Short Cut Pasta - I used cavatappi, I also love to use penne, but any short pasta works well.
Ingredient Swaps
- No short cut pasta? Use your favorite long, noodle-y pasta. Cream sauces go best with wide, flat noodles like fettuccine, linguini, and tagliatelle.
- No shallots? Use half of a yellow onion instead.
- No sherry? Use brandy or a dry white wine instead.
- No alcohol at all? Swap the sherry for more chicken broth.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Step 1
Sear the chicken
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned chicken on both sides until golden brown, then remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 2
Sauté the aromatics
Add the shallots, red pepper flakes, and dried thyme to the same pan with a pinch of salt, cooking until softened and fragrant. Stir in the garlic and cook just until you can smell it.
Step 3
Deglaze with sherry.
Pour in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for a minute to cook off the alcohol.
Step 4
Simmer in broth.
Add the chicken broth and return the chicken thighs to the pan. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the broth has reduced slightly. (this is when you should cook your dry pasta!)
Step 5
Stir in cream.
Remove the cooked chicken to chop on a cutting board and stir the cream into the sauce.
Step 6
Bring the sauce together.
If the sauce looks separated or thin, whisk in a bit of beurre manié (softened butter mixed with flour) until smooth and thickened.
Step 7
Add the cheese.
Whisk in the handful of parmesan cheese, a little at a time, off the heat so it doesn't split.
Step 8
Finish the dish.
Return the chopped chicken to the pan and stir to coat it well in the sauce. Add the cooked pasta and toss everything together until every bite is covered in that creamy garlic-Parmesan goodness. Sprinkle with parsley, taste for seasoning, and serve warm.
Equipment I Used
Chef's Tips for Great Pasta
- High heat makes the Parmesan separate. Take the pan off the burner, whisk the cheese in slowly, and let the residual heat melt it smooth.
- Once everything’s tossed together, let the pasta sit for a minute or two. The sauce tightens slightly as it cools so there's no soupiness.
- If the sauce thickens too much while reheating, whisk in a little more liquid or a small knob of butter to bring that silky texture back.
Troubleshooting
Between seasoned pasta water, broth, and Parmesan, the salt can sneak up on you. Try balancing it with a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of cream to soften it.
Garlic burns fast. Keep the heat on medium and stir it constantly for just 30 seconds, no more than a minute. Once it smells fragrant, get that liquid in there. If it’s already bitter, start over; burned garlic will throw off the whole sauce.
Pre-shredded Parmesan is coated with anti-caking agents that stop it from melting smoothly. Always grate your own and add it off heat, stirring little by little until melted.
It was either overcooked or too lean (using breasts instead of thighs will do that). Next time, temp it with an instant read thermometer and pull at 165°F, then let it rest before slicing.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- To store: Let the pasta cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Cream sauces don’t freeze well so it’s best to keep this one fresh.
- To reheat on the stove (best way): Warm the leftovers over low heat with a splash of milk, cream, or chicken broth, stirring occasionally until the sauce loosens and turns glossy again. Keep the heat gentle; too much will cause the sauce to split.
- To reheat in the microwave: Place a portion in a microwave-safe bowl with a small splash of milk or broth, cover loosely, and heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each until warmed through.
More Cozy Pasta Recipes
Craving more cozy recipes? Sign up for the Sweet Tea & Thyme newsletter, save this recipe with the Pin button. If you whip it up, tag me (@sweet_tea_thyme on IG/@sweetteaandthyme on TikTok) and don’t forget to leave a star rating and note below, it helps more than you know, friend.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoon kosher salt, for pasta water
- 6 cups water
- 1 ½ lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, or other high-heat oil like avocado or corn oil
- 1 shallot, or ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, adjust to taste
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry sherry, or brandy or dry white wine
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream, or milk
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 12 oz short-cut pasta , cavatappi, penne, or your favorite shape
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- chopped parsley, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Set a large pot of water on high heat to boil, season it with salt and let it come to a boil as you cook the rest of the meal. Once it's boiling, add in the pasta and let it cook while you finish the sauce.1½ tablespoon kosher salt, 6 cups water
- Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the thighs from the pan and set aside on a plate.1 ½ lbs chicken thighs, 2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Turn the heat to medium, then add the shallots, red pepper flakes, and thyme with a nice pinch of salt. Cook 2-3 minutes until the shallots are softened and turning a little golden. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute, until it's nice and fragrant.1 shallot, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 5 cloves garlic
- Pour in the sherry and scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let it simmer for about a minute to cook out the alcohol.½ cup dry sherry
- Add the chicken broth and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer for 6-7 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165ºF) and the broth has reduced slightly.1 ½ cups chicken broth
- Remove the chicken thighs and chop them into bite-sized pieces on a cutting board.
- Stir the heavy cream into the pan. If the sauce looks thin or broken, mix the softened butter and flour together until they're combined into one buttery lump to make a beurre manié, then whisk small pieces into the sauce until it smooths out and thickens.2 tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 cup heavy cream
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the Parmesan until it melts and turns silky.1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Add the chopped chicken back to the pan and stir to coat.
- Add the cooked pasta and toss everything together, splashing in a bit of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.12 oz short-cut pasta , kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, chopped parsley
Recipe Notes
Ingredient Swaps
- Don't use alcohol? Use more chicken broth instead.
- You can use chicken breasts, but pound them thinner so they cook evenly and quicker.
- No short cut pasta? Use your favorite long, noodle-y pasta. Cream sauces go best with wide, flat noodles like fettuccine, linguini, and tagliatelle.
- No sherry? Use brandy or a dry white wine instead.
- No shallots? Use half of a yellow onion instead.
Leave a Reply