Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (One-Pot!)
Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta – This crowd-pleasing one-pot chicken pasta recipe includes a rich cream sauce that tastes just like Buffalo Wild Wings Garlic Parmesan Sauce, and is quick and easy to make at home in 20 minutes!
Why We Love this One-Pot Recipe
If you’ve enjoyed Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings from Buffalo Wild Wings, you are going to LOVE this recipe! Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is a brilliant dinner made in one pot with our homemade Garlic Parmesan Sauce (or store-bought) and your choice of tender noodles. It’s rich, creamy, delicious, and always a huge hit with the family.
This easy one-pot dish requires little cleanup and is ready to serve in as little as 20 minutes. In a word, it’s a PERFECT weeknight meal to please a crowd!
Ingredients You Need
- Chicken – boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs) cut into 1-inch pieces
- Pasta – your choice of small noodles, we use gemelli here but penne pasta is a great choice
- Chicken broth – or chicken bullion and water
- Garlic parmesan sauce – Although our creamy garlic sauce is simple to make, in a pinch you can use a store-bought jar of sauce as well!
- Heavy cream – for the most rich and creamy cheese sauce
- Fresh parsley – to garnish, if you like
- Crushed red pepper flakes – for a nice kick of spicy heat, optional
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Set an extra-large sauté pan (or large skillet with a lid) on the stovetop over high heat. Add the broth to the pan, cover, and bring it to a boil.
Once boiling, stir in the pasta and raw chicken chunks. Stir well so that the pasta is mostly covered with broth.
Then cover again and simmer for 5-6 minutes for al dente pasta.
Remove the lid and add the Garlic Parmesan Sauce, heavy cream, and crushed red pepper.
Simmer for another 2 minutes to thicken the sauce and finish cooking the protein. Then sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve warm.
Get the Complete (Printable) Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Pasta – Use whatever variety of small pasta you like. Here we use gemelli but other noodles like elbow or macaroni, mini shells, rotini, penne, or fusilli are great options as well.
- Gluten free – The Parmesan garlic sauce needs to be gluten-free – see out recipe adjustments for the homemade version. Then use your preferred gluten free pasta to make the dish.
- Precooked chicken – Instead of raw chicken, feel free to add cooked chicken, chopped or shredded, to the pot after the pasta has finished cooking.
- Vegetarian – You can leave out chicken entirely for a meatless Parmesan and garlic pasta dish.
- Vegetables – Want to veggie-fy your pasta? Add small fresh broccoli florets, spinach, or chopped bell peppers when you add the sauce.
- Leave off red pepper – Skip the crushed red pepper to make this a mild and more kid-friendly dinner.
- Additional toppings – Consider adding shaved parmesan cheese, crispy fried onions, or toasted panko breadcrumbs over the cooked pasta and creamy sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Buffalo Wild Wings-style Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta with warm breadsticks and a fresh, crisp green salad.
Our homemade breadsticks are always a fan favorite (seriously, they are better than Olive Garden’s). Or bring a simple and delicious loaf of garlic bread to the table! And the cheesy Parmesan sauce is perfect to balance with a refreshing steakhouse-style Caesar salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Pasta and chicken are a perfect match. Here are other versions of this love-match:
Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Jamaican Chicken Rasta Pasta
Chicken Piccata Pasta
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Best Chicken Noodle Soup
The sauce will thicken on its own while it simmers, and will continue to thicken as it cools. But you can add a cornstarch slurry if it still seems too loose. Whisk 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 2-3 teaspoons of heavy cream. Slowly stir into the sauce, bit by bit, as it simmers on low to medium heat.
You can also add a couple of tablespoons of cream cheese to the sauce to thicken the sauce!
Leftover pasta is super tasty and these leftovers store very well! Let it cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave in short bursts at 50% power, or on the stovetop over lower heat. You might want to pour in a splash of cream or milk to loosen the Parmesan garlic sauce.
In theory, yes. However, this pasta is so quick and easy to make on the stovetop, it would almost take more effort to make it in a slow cooker. We suggest you skip the crock pot this time!
Looking for More Easy One-Pot Dinner Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- One-Pot Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Spaghetti Carbonara
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta (One-Pot!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 pound small pasta I used gemelli
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups garlic parmesan sauce store-bought or homemade!
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Set an extra-large sauté pan (with a lid) on the stovetop over high heat. Add the broth to the pan, cover, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, stir in the pasta and raw chicken chunks. Stir well so that the pasta is mostly covered with broth. Then cover again and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add in the Garlic Parmesan Sauce, heavy cream, and crushed red pepper. Simmer for another 2 minutes to thicken the sauce and finish cooking the chicken. Then sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve warm.
Pingback: My Homepage
I loved the simplicity of using one pot! And my whole family loved this. It was a win all around!
Our favorite dish!! This pasta is hearty & so tasty!! It’s a family favorite, no one every complains when this hits the table!
This pasta is a hit with everybody! The chicken turned out tender,combined with the creamy garlic parmesan sauce, and a hint of spice made it so good! Perfect for a cozy family dinner. You won’t be disappointed!
This pasta is a hit! Tender chicken, creamy garlic parmesan sauce, and a hint of spice make it irresistible. Perfect for a cozy family dinner. You won’t be disappointed!