Description
Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken and Rigatoni in Parmesan Sauce is a rich, comforting pasta dish made with tender chicken breast, a luscious garlic butter cream sauce, and plenty of Parmesan cheese, all tossed with perfectly cooked rigatoni for the ultimate weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook rigatoni pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté garlic for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes if using.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and mozzarella until melted and sauce thickens, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add cooked rigatoni and chicken to the sauce, tossing to coat. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the creamiest sauce.
- For extra flavor, deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine before adding cream.
- Can substitute rigatoni with penne or fettuccine.
- Add spinach or sun-dried tomatoes for extra color and nutrition.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 670
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 19g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 43g
- Cholesterol: 175mg
Keywords: creamy garlic butter chicken pasta, rigatoni parmesan sauce, chicken alfredo rigatoni