Description
A creamy, smoky skillet pasta with seasoned chicken in a velvety Parmesan cream sauce, brightened with lemon and parsley.
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 340 g fettuccine or pasta of choice
- Juice of half a lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta.
- Toss the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne until evenly coated.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 6–8 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, melt butter in the skillet, and sauté minced garlic until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth, bringing it to a simmer, and scraping up browned bits from the pan.
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer to thicken slightly.
- Gradually add Parmesan, stirring until smooth.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, and add lemon juice and parsley. Adjust seasoning.
- Cook pasta until al dente, reserving 1 cup of cooking water, then drain.
- Add pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce, using reserved pasta water as needed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley.
Notes
For a lighter sauce, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. Pre-grated Parmesan may not melt as smoothly. Adjust cayenne for desired spice level. Boneless chicken thighs can be used for juicier results.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian