Description

This Garlic Butter Chicken with Rigatoni and Parmesan is a creamy, flavorful pasta dish featuring tender chicken pieces sautéed in a garlic butter sauce, combined with rigatoni pasta, and finished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner that comes together quickly and satisfies a craving for rich, cheesy flavors with a hint of spice.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

12 oz rigatoni pasta

Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)

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
½ tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Garnish

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente, approximately 10-12 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
Sear Chicken: While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the bite-sized chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then sear them until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Sauté Garlic and Make Sauce Base: Reduce heat to medium, melt the butter in the same skillet, then add minced garlic and sauté briefly for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add Cream and Cheese: Stir in the heavy cream and allow the sauce to thicken slightly for 2-3 minutes. Then gradually mix in the grated Parmesan cheese until smooth. Season the sauce with Italian seasoning, black pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), and additional salt to taste.
Combine Chicken and Pasta: Return the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet. Add the drained rigatoni pasta and toss everything gently to coat the pasta and chicken evenly with the creamy sauce. Simmer together for an additional minute to meld the flavors, adding reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving warm.

Notes

Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if it becomes too thick.
Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for best flavor and smooth melting.
Optional red pepper flakes add a mild heat but can be omitted for a milder dish.
Chicken breasts can be substituted with thighs for a juicier texture.
To make it lighter, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or milk, though the sauce will be less rich.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian-American

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