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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Bake

Ingredients

Homemade Garlic Parmesan Sauce

  • 1 stick butter
  • 6 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1-3 tablespoons hot sauce depending on your heat preference
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, minced

Chicken, Pasta & Cream Sauce

  • 1 lb penne pasta
  • 1.5 lbs chicken breast or tenders
  • 2 tbsp poultry seasoning or all-purpose seasoning **see notes for my blend
  • 8 oz block cream cheese, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated or shredded
  • 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, minced
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Optional: garlic bread or breadsticks

Instructions

  • Prepare the garlic parmesan sauce by heating butter in a medium bowl until partially melted. Add in remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Set aside.
  • Place chicken in a bowl or large zip-top bag along with a few tablespoons of olive oil, tossing them to coat. Add in a few spoonsful of your preferred chicken seasoning** and rub it into all sides of the chicken.
  • Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook chicken about 3-4 minutes until well browned. Flip once, reduce heat to low. Add a heaping spoonful of garlic parmesan sauce into the skillet allowing it to melt into the chicken as it cooks.
  • Once internal temp reaches 165 degrees (about 6-8 minutes total), toss the chicken in the butter sauce. Set aside under tented foil to rest, then dice into large chunks.
  • In the same skillet over medium low, add in the remaining garlic parmesan sauce and the softened cubed cream cheese and heavy cream. Cook until cream cheese melts, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the diced chicken into the cream sauce tossing well until combined, continuing to simmer. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pot of salted water according to the package instructions for al dente. Into the cream sauce add the pasta water and cooked pasta. Toss everything together until well coated.
  • I like to add in extra parmesan cheese, minced parsley and red pepper flakes before serving. Serve warm with garlic bread or breadsticks.