Description

A creamy and flavorful Garlic Butter Chicken with Rigatoni and Parmesan, perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner. Tender chicken pieces are seared and simmered in a garlic butter sauce enriched with chicken broth, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese, then tossed with al dente rigatoni pasta and garnished with fresh parsley.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

12 oz rigatoni pasta

Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
½ tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp black pepper

Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Garnish

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Cook the pasta: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the rigatoni until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the bite-sized chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and sear until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Prepare the garlic butter sauce: In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté briefly, about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the chicken broth and let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
Make it creamy: Stir in the heavy cream and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens gently, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in the grated Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, stirring until the cheese melts into the sauce smoothly.
Combine chicken and pasta: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add the drained rigatoni and toss everything together until well coated with the sauce. If needed, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce. Simmer for an additional minute to heat through and blend flavors.
Serve: Plate the pasta and chicken, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired for a hint of heat. Serve immediately while warm.

Notes

Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency as needed.
For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half, though sauce will be less rich.
Red pepper flakes are optional and add a nice subtle heat.
Use freshly grated Parmesan for best flavor and smooth melting.
Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat gently to avoid curdling the sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian-American

Keywords: Garlic butter chicken, rigatoni recipe, creamy chicken pasta, Parmesan rigatoni, easy chicken dinner