Description
A rich and comforting dish featuring tender boneless chicken breasts cooked in a creamy garlic butter and Parmesan cheese sauce, served over perfectly cooked rigatoni pasta. This easy skillet recipe combines savory flavors and a luscious sauce for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound rigatoni
Chicken and Sauce
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the Skillet: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat to prepare for cooking the chicken evenly and developing a nice golden crust.
- Season Chicken: Season both sides of the boneless chicken breasts with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor before cooking.
- Cook Chicken: Add olive oil to the hot skillet and place the chicken breasts in. Cook for about 6-7 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through, ensuring a juicy interior.
- Set Chicken Aside: Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside, keeping the flavorful fond in the pan for the sauce.
- Sauté Garlic in Butter: Add unsalted butter and minced garlic to the same skillet. Sauté for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not burnt, infusing the butter with flavor.
- Add Chicken Broth: Pour chicken broth into the skillet, bring it to a simmer, and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan to deepen the sauce’s flavor.
- Incorporate Cream and Parmesan: Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, continuing to cook until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth and slightly thickened.
- Slice and Return Chicken: Cut the cooked chicken breasts into strips and return them to the skillet, stirring to coat them evenly in the creamy Parmesan sauce.
- Cook Pasta: In a separate large pot, boil water and cook the rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni to the skillet with the creamy chicken sauce. Toss everything together gently to ensure the pasta is well coated.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired to perfect the flavor balance.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the dish before serving for a pop of color and fresh herbal note. Enjoy your creamy garlic butter chicken and rigatoni in Parmesan sauce!
Notes
- For best results, do not overcook the chicken breasts to keep them juicy and tender.
- You can substitute rigatoni with other tubular pasta like penne or ziti if preferred.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the richest flavor and best melting texture.
- Adjust the thickness of the sauce by simmering longer or adding a splash of pasta cooking water if needed.
- Fresh parsley garnish adds a nice color contrast and fresh flavor; you can substitute with basil or oregano if desired.
