Introduction
Hey there, friends! Let’s talk about those nights when you just need a big, warm hug in the form of dinner. You know, the kind of meal that fills your kitchen with amazing smells, makes your belly happy, and doesn’t require you to stand over the stove for hours? This Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken and Rigatoni in Parmesan Sauce is exactly that kind of magic.
It’s one of my go-to recipes for busy weeknights because it’s surprisingly simple, comes together fast, and tastes like something you’d get at a fancy Italian restaurant (but way cozier!). The combination of tender chicken, perfectly cooked rigatoni, and that luscious, velvety garlic butter Parmesan sauce? Absolute perfection. Get ready to add this to your regular dinner rotation!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: From start to finish, you can have this dish on the table in under 30 minutes. Seriously!
- Easy: No complicated techniques or fancy ingredients here. If you can boil pasta and sauté chicken, you can make this.
- Giftable: While maybe not literally gifting a bowl, it’s the perfect recipe to bring comfort to a friend who needs a meal or is recovering.
- Crowd-Pleasing: Who doesn’t love creamy pasta, chicken, and garlic? Kids and adults alike devour this.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to whip up this incredible creamy chicken pasta. Most of these are probably already staples in your pantry or fridge!
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta: I love rigatoni because the ridges hold onto that creamy sauce so beautifully, but feel free to use your favorite shape!
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs: Cut into bite-sized pieces. Thighs tend to stay a little more moist, but breasts work perfectly too.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil: For sautéing that chicken to golden perfection.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter: The base for our amazing garlic butter sauce. Unsalted gives you control over the saltiness.
- 6 cloves garlic, minced: Yes, six! We’re making a garlic butter sauce, after all. Feel free to add more if you’re a true garlic lover like me!
- 1.5 cups heavy cream: This is where the luxurious creaminess comes from. Don’t skimp!
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated is always best for melting smoothly into the sauce.
- 1/2 cup chicken broth: Adds a little liquid to the sauce base and brings extra flavor.
- Salt, to taste: To season the chicken, pasta water, and sauce.
- Black pepper, to taste: Freshly cracked is always a winner.
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional): For a pretty garnish and a pop of freshness at the end.
How to Make It
Alright, let’s get cooking! This comes together quickly, so have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
1. Get that pasta going: Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt (the water should taste like the sea!), and bring it to a rolling boil. Toss in your rigatoni and cook according to the package directions until it’s perfectly al dente. Before you drain it, make sure to scoop out about 1 cup of that starchy pasta water and set it aside. It’s liquid gold for fixing your sauce consistency later!
2. Brown the chicken: While the pasta is doing its thing, heat the olive oil in a large skillet (make sure it’s big enough to hold all the pasta later!) over medium-high heat. Pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season them generously with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot skillet in a single layer (cook in batches if needed so you don’t overcrowd the pan) and cook for about 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway, until it’s beautifully browned on the outside and cooked all the way through. Take the chicken out of the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
3. Make the garlic butter magic: Reduce the heat on your skillet to medium. Add the butter. Once it’s melted and slightly bubbly, add your minced garlic. Sauté it for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until you can smell that amazing fragrant garlic aroma. Be careful not to burn it – burnt garlic is bitter garlic!
4. Build the sauce base: Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth. Give it a good stir to combine everything. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it bubble gently for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing it to reduce and thicken just a little bit.
5. Stir in the Parmesan: Reduce the heat to low – this is important to prevent the cheese from seizing. Stir in your grated Parmesan cheese a little at a time, stirring continuously until it’s completely melted and the sauce is smooth and wonderfully creamy. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Remember, the Parmesan adds saltiness, so taste first!
6. Combine and toss: Bring the cooked chicken back into the skillet with the glorious sauce. Add your drained rigatoni right into the pan too. Use tongs or a spoon to gently toss everything together, making sure every piece of pasta and chicken is coated in that rich, creamy sauce.
7. Adjust consistency: This is where that reserved pasta water comes in handy! If your sauce looks a little too thick or tight, add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water at a time, tossing after each addition, until the sauce is exactly the consistency you want – smooth and clingy, not gloopy. The starch in the water helps emulsify the sauce beautifully.
8. Serve it up! Dish out big bowls of this comfort food goodness immediately. If you have fresh parsley, chop some up and sprinkle it over the top for a touch of color and freshness. Enjoy every single bite!
Substitutions & Additions
Want to play around with this Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken Rigatoni? Here are a few ideas:
- Pasta Shapes: Not a rigatoni fan? This sauce works wonderfully with other shapes like penne, fettuccine, spirali, or even shells.
- Add Veggies: Sauté some spinach, broccoli florets, mushrooms, or bell peppers with the chicken or add them to the sauce towards the end for extra nutrition and flavor.
- Protein Swap: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts for extra tenderness, or swap the chicken for shrimp! Cook shrimp for just a few minutes until pink before adding them to the sauce at the end.
- Spice It Up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you sauté the garlic for a little warmth.
- Extra Flavor: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end can brighten up the richness of the sauce.
- Herbs: Besides parsley, you could try adding fresh basil or chives as a garnish.
Tips for Success
Even easy recipes have little tricks that make them perfect. Keep these in mind for your Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken Rigatoni:
- Don’t Overcook Pasta: Cook your rigatoni to al dente. It will continue to cook slightly in the warm sauce, and you want it to have a nice bite.
- Pat the Chicken Dry: This helps the chicken brown nicely in the skillet, giving you more flavor.
- Don’t Burn the Garlic: Garlic cooks fast! Keep the heat on medium and stir constantly when it’s in the pan, especially with the butter.
- Low Heat for Parmesan: Make sure the heat is on low when you stir in the Parmesan. High heat can make the cheese clump or become grainy.
- Use That Pasta Water: Seriously, don’t skip reserving the pasta water! It’s your secret weapon for achieving the perfect sauce consistency.
- Prep Ahead: You can cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces a day ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Mince the garlic ahead of time too.
How to Store It
Leftovers of this Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken Rigatoni are just as delicious, maybe even more so as the flavors meld! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, you might need to add a splash of milk, cream, or chicken broth to the skillet when warming it up on the stove over low heat, as creamy sauces can thicken in the fridge. Stir gently until warmed through and creamy again. You can also microwave it, stirring halfway through.
FAQs
Here are a few common questions about this delicious creamy chicken pasta:
Q: Can I use half-and-half instead of heavy cream?
A: While heavy cream gives the richest, most stable sauce, you can substitute half-and-half. The sauce might be slightly thinner and less luxurious, but it will still be tasty. I wouldn’t recommend using milk, as it’s more likely to curdle or break.
Q: My sauce is too thick! How do I fix it?
A: This is exactly what the reserved pasta water is for! Add the hot pasta water a little at a time (1/4 cup increments) while tossing the pasta and chicken in the sauce until you reach your desired consistency. The starch helps loosen and emulsify the sauce.
Q: Can I add vegetables directly to the sauce?
A: Absolutely! Tender veggies like spinach can be stirred in at the very end to wilt. Harder vegetables like broccoli or bell peppers should be cooked separately (maybe sautéed with the chicken or blanched) before adding them to the sauce and pasta.
Q: Can I use pre-cooked chicken?
A: Yes, you can! Skip step 2 and simply add the pre-cooked, bite-sized chicken pieces to the sauce in step 7 to warm through. Just make sure the sauce is hot before adding it. This makes the recipe even faster!
Easy Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken Rigatoni
Equipment
- Large pot for cooking pasta
- Large skillet big enough to hold pasta later
- Tongs
- Spoon
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta or other favorite shape
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese freshly grated is best
- 0.5 cup chicken broth
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
- Fresh parsley chopped, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet in a single layer and cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway, until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and let bubble gently for 3-5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese a little at a time, stirring continuously until melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Return cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Add drained rigatoni. Toss gently to coat everything in the sauce.
- If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water 1/4 cup at a time, tossing after each addition, until desired consistency is reached.
- Dish out immediately. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.