Smoky Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta
Make this rich and flavorful chicken pasta featuring a deep smoky note from smoked paprika and savory roasted garlic in a simple butter sauce. This recipe delivers big flavor for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dried pasta (fettuccine or penne work well)
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant; do not let it burn.
- Pour in the white wine or broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Stir in the heavy cream and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, one splash at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss everything together to coat well in the smoky garlic butter sauce.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the fresh parsley. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For a deeper smoky flavor, use hot smoked paprika instead of sweet smoked paprika.
- If you prefer a richer sauce, substitute half of the heavy cream with cream cheese.
- You can roast the garlic instead of mincing it for a milder, sweeter garlic flavor in your sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 40
- Saturated Fat: 20
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 45
- Cholesterol: 180