Description
Garlic Butter Chicken with Rigatoni and Parmesan is a creamy, flavorful pasta dish with tender chicken and rich garlic butter sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta (or your favorite short pasta)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- ¼ cup heavy cream (optional, for extra creaminess)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup reserved pasta water (you may not need it all)
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the rigatoni pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Season the chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Reduce heat to low, add the remaining butter, and stir until melted.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and heavy cream (if using). Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan before serving.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for best flavor.
- Cook pasta al dente—it will soften slightly when mixed with the sauce.
- Adjust creaminess by adding more or less pasta water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
Keywords: garlic butter chicken, rigatoni pasta, creamy pasta, parmesan chicken