Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and peas combined with pasta in a rich garlic butter sauce for a hearty meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)

→ Pasta & Vegetables

05 - 12 ounces curly pasta (fusilli or rotini)
06 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

08 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
02 - Season chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, and dried Italian herbs if using.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium, add butter to the same skillet, and melt. Stir in minced garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant without browning.
05 - Add thawed peas and cooked chicken back to the skillet. Stir and warm through for about 1 minute.
06 - Add cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the skillet. Toss together, adding reserved pasta water incrementally until sauce lightly coats pasta.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan and parsley if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like something from a cozy Italian restaurant
  • The garlic butter sauce clings to every curly noodle and makes even leftovers taste incredible
02 -
  • That pasta water you almost poured down the sink is liquid gold, it is what transforms melted butter into an actual sauce that coats noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl
  • Garlic burns faster than you expect, so watch it like a hawk once it hits the hot butter or your whole dinner will taste bitter
03 -
  • Use a microplane or fine grater for the Parmesan so it melts instantly into the sauce instead of staying in salty clumps
  • Let the chicken rest in the skillet while you make the sauce instead of moving it to a separate plate, less dishes and it stays warmer
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