Amazing Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner

By anna Boncoeur On September 18, 2025

The Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner is about to change your weeknights forever! I’m Anna, and as a passionate food lover, I’m always searching for simple, flavorful chicken recipes that make everyday cooking easier and bring a little more joy to the table. This recipe is my go-to because it delivers juicy, perfectly seasoned chicken bathed in a rich, creamy sauce—and the best part? Almost zero dishes to wash!

If you’re tired of complicated cooking that leaves you scrubbing pots for ages, you’re in the right place. We build flavor right in that skillet, which is how we earn those good E-E-A-T points from the culinary experts. Trust me, this easy chicken pasta is so satisfying, you’ll wonder why you haven’t made it sooner!

Table Of content

Gathering Your Components for Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner

Making sure you have everything ready before you start is half the battle in any one-pan meal. Since this recipe is designed for four hungry people, we need our measurements spot-on so the pasta cooks perfectly and the sauce doesn’t get too thin or too thick. Don’t stress if you don’t have everything exactly, but these ratios really nail that creamy pasta consistency.

For this dish, we’re using just over a pound of chicken, which gives everyone a generous portion. Remember, the cleanup is minimal, but the flavor payoff is huge! Let’s look at what you need to pull together.

Chicken Preparation and Seasoning

You’ll need about one and a quarter pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Here’s the trick: butterfly them so they are about half an inch thick. This helps them cook fast and evenly in that skillet. Don’t worry if they look a little uneven; we just want them thin enough to sear quickly.

Next, we season them up beautifully before they even see the heat. Grab your Italian seasoning (one teaspoon), paprika (half a teaspoon for color!), one teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper. Sprinkle that all over both sides. That’s what gives the chicken that great savory base flavor.

Sauce Base and Pasta Requirements

For the sauce base, we need just a little fat boost—one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of unsalted butter. We also need five cloves of garlic, minced—and I mean minced, we want that flavor diffusing everywhere! Plus, one cup of diced yellow onion to start things off.

The pasta choice is important here since it cooks right in the sauce. Eight ounces of dry penne pasta works the best because those tubes hold onto the sauce wonderfully. For the liquid that cooks that pasta, you’ll need two full cups of chicken broth. This broth is critical because it becomes the foundation of our creamy sauce!

Essential Equipment for This Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner

Since this is a one-pan wonder, we need one key piece of cookware that can handle everything. You absolutely must have a large, deep skillet. I mean one that has high sides, maybe 10 or 12 inches across, so we can cook the chicken, sauté the aromatics, and then simmer the pasta all in the same spot without sloshing liquid everywhere!

Other than that, just make sure you have your standard measuring cups and spoons handy. We need accuracy, especially with the broth and cream, so everything blends just right.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner

Okay, let’s get cooking! This is where the magic happens, and because it’s all in one vessel, you get to watch the whole delicious process unfold. Just follow these steps closely, and you’ll have an amazing, easy chicken pasta on the table in under 30 minutes total.

Searing the Seasoned Chicken

First things first, get that large deep skillet heated over medium heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil. Once it shimmers just a bit, carefully lay those seasoned chicken breasts in the pan. Don’t crowd them! Cook them for about four to five minutes on the first side until they get beautifully golden brown. Then, flip them over and cook the other side for another four to five minutes. We need to make sure they hit that safe 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature before we pull them out. Use a thermometer if you have one—that’s the best way to know for sure! Once they’re done, transfer the chicken to a clean plate and just let it rest while we build our sauce around it.

Building the Flavor Base

Now we drop the heat down just a touch, to medium-low. See all those yummy browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan from the chicken? That’s pure flavor, so don’t waste it! Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the tablespoon of butter right into that skillet. Let the butter melt, then toss in your diced yellow onion. Cook those onions gently for three to four minutes until they start looking soft and clear. Next, add your minced garlic—be quick here—and let it cook for just about 30 seconds until you can really smell that wonderful aroma. Don’t let it burn, or the whole sauce will taste bitter!

Cooking the Pasta in Liquid

Time to deglaze! Pour in your two cups of chicken broth. Take a wooden spoon and scrape up every single little browned bit from the bottom of the pan while the broth heats up. Bring that broth up to a gentle boil. Now, dump in your eight ounces of dry penne pasta. Stir it really well to make sure every piece is submerged in that flavorful liquid. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat slightly to maintain a simmer, and let it cook for about ten to twelve minutes. You want that pasta to be cooked through but still have a little bite—that’s al dente!

Finishing the Creamy Sauce and Combining

This is the most important step for that creamy pasta effect, so pay attention! Turn the heat completely OFF. Seriously, turn it off. Stir in your three-quarters cup of heavy cream first. Then, immediately add the full cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese and the two tablespoons of fresh parsley. Stir everything slowly until that Parmesan melts smoothly into the cream and makes a luscious sauce. If you add the cheese while the heat is still high, it might get grainy, so keep it off! Finally, slice your rested chicken breasts into strips and gently return them to the skillet. Give everything a careful toss to coat the chicken in that incredible sauce. Dinner is served!

Tips for Perfect Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner Results

Getting this one-pan meal just right is all about timing, especially when we introduce the dairy and cheese at the end. If you follow these few tricks, you’ll avoid the dreaded mushy pasta or a grainy sauce that can sometimes happen with quick creamy pasta dishes.

First, for the best flavor depth, don’t skimp on scraping up those browned bits—the fond—from the bottom of the pan after you cook the chicken. That little bit of extra effort when adding the broth is where 80% of your flavor comes from. Also, make sure your chicken broth is hot or simmering when you add the dry pasta. Starting the pasta in cold liquid throws off the cooking time completely! If you are looking for other easy weeknight ideas, check out my one-skillet fiesta chicken and rice.

Finally, always taste the sauce right before you serve it. Since Parmesan cheese is salty, you might not need much extra seasoning. A quick taste test lets you adjust the salt and pepper perfectly for your own liking.

Achieving the Ideal Creamy Texture

The biggest pitfall here is overheating the dairy, which makes the sauce break or the cheese clump up. When you add the heavy cream and the grated Parmesan cheese, the heat must be off. I mean it—turn the burner off completely! The residual heat in the skillet is more than enough to melt that cheese into a silky smooth sauce.

Also, use finely grated Parmesan, not the pre-shredded stuff in the big container if you can help it. Finely grated melts much faster and incorporates better into the cream without leaving behind those little hard clumps. Stir gently and slowly until everything comes together beautifully. If it seems too thick after adding the cheese, just splash in an extra tablespoon or two of warm broth until it flows nicely around the chicken and pasta.

Simple Variations for Your Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner

This recipe is fantastic as is, but I love switching things up when I make this easy chicken pasta during the week. The beauty of the one-pan method is that it handles additions really well, as long as you don’t try to add things that need a long cooking time!

If you’re looking to sneak in some greens, toss in a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach right when you turn the heat off with the cream and cheese. It wilts down perfectly into the sauce without any extra cooking time needed. You could also swap out the penne for rotini or farfalle if that’s what you have on hand, though penne holds that creamy sauce best. For more creamy chicken inspiration, see my recipe for creamy white chicken chili.

For a little zing, try adding a teaspoon of dried lemon zest when you season the chicken. It brightens up the whole dish without messing up the cooking process at all. Just keep the liquids and the core chicken cooking steps the same, and you’re golden!

Storing and Enjoying Leftover Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner

Even though this creamy pasta vanishes so fast, sometimes we end up with leftovers, which is never a bad thing! The key to keeping this dish tasting great the next day is handling the sauce correctly during reheating. Pasta, especially penne, soaks up liquid quickly once it cools down, so we have to give it a little boost when we warm it back up.

Don’t just throw it in the microwave uncovered; you’ll end up with dry chicken and stiff pasta. We want to bring back that luscious, creamy texture for round two!

Storage Guidelines and Reheating Best Practices

When storing, put your leftovers into an airtight container right away. I find that if I leave it out too long, the sauce starts to really seize up. It keeps well in the fridge for about three days, tops. When you’re ready to eat it, you need to reintroduce moisture.

Here’s my reheating cheat sheet:

Reheating Method: Stovetop is always best!
What to Add: Stir in one to two tablespoons of milk or chicken broth per serving before heating.
Temperature: Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until warmed through. Do not boil!

If you absolutely must use the microwave, cover the bowl loosely with a damp paper towel. This traps the steam and helps rehydrate the pasta slightly while it heats up. It won’t be quite as silky as the stovetop method, but it works in a pinch!

Frequently Asked Questions About This Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner

I get so many questions every time I post this recipe because everyone wants that perfect, easy chicken pasta on the first try! Here are a few things I hear most often about making sure this creamy pasta comes out perfectly every single time.

Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh parsley?

Absolutely, you can! Fresh parsley is my favorite because it adds that bright, clean finish right at the end, but dried herbs are great for convenience. For the parsley, the rule of thumb is to use one-third the amount of dried herbs compared to fresh. So, since the recipe calls for two tablespoons of fresh parsley, you would only need about two teaspoons of dried parsley mixed in with the cream and cheese at the end. If you are using dried Italian seasoning in your initial chicken rub, the same ratio applies!

What is the best way to prevent the sauce from breaking?

This is the secret to keeping your sauce silky smooth instead of grainy or separated! The absolute best way is temperature control. When you add the heavy cream and the Parmesan cheese, the heat needs to be completely off the burner. The residual heat in the pan is enough to melt the cheese slowly and evenly into the cream. If you try to rush it over direct heat, the proteins in the cheese tighten up too fast, and that’s when you get those little oily clumps instead of a gorgeous, cohesive, creamy pasta sauce.

Sharing Your Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner Experience

I truly hope this Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta One Pan Dinner has made your weeknight cooking easier and tastier! It means the world to me when you all try my favorite simple recipes. If you loved how quick and easy this was, please let me know! You can also find more inspiration on my Pinterest page.

Hop down to the comments below and leave a star rating—it helps other busy cooks find this recipe! I adore seeing your photos and hearing how you tweaked things in your own kitchen. Happy cooking, everyone!