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Try these Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Creamy Parmesan Pasta for dinner tonight. Cut up chicken turns golden brown in garlic butter, then sits on pasta covered in creamy cheese sauce. It's quick to make but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
Why Make This Dish
Simple ingredients make something special here. The garlic butter chicken and cheesy pasta come together fast, perfect when you're busy but want a good dinner. Change up the pasta or add lemon juice to make it your own. Great for feeding friends or just having a cozy night in.
What You Need
- Chicken: Cut in bite-size pieces
- Olive Oil: For cooking chicken
- Butter: For both chicken and sauce
- Garlic: Fresh minced works best
- Salt and Pepper: To taste
- Italian Herbs: Adds flavor
- Parsley: Fresh chopped
- Pasta: Any kind you like
- Heavy Cream: Makes sauce rich
- Parmesan: Fresh grated
- Chicken Broth: Makes sauce better
- Extra Garlic Butter: If you want more
How to Make It
- Start Pasta:
- Boil water, add salt and pasta. Cook till soft but not mushy.
- Cook Chicken:
- Heat oil in big pan. Add chicken pieces and cook till golden. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs.
- Make First Sauce:
- Add butter and garlic to chicken pan. Let butter melt and coat chicken.
- Make Cream Sauce:
- In another pan, melt butter with garlic. Pour in cream and broth. Add cheese and stir till thick.
- Put It Together:
- Mix pasta with cream sauce. Top with chicken. Add parsley and extra garlic butter if you want.
Perfect Chicken
Cut chicken the same size so it cooks even. Let it get brown and crispy outside but stay juicy inside. The Italian herbs make it taste like something from a nice restaurant.
Make Sauce Great
Let butter melt slow with garlic so it gets all the flavor. This sauce makes the chicken taste amazing. Save some to pour on top at the end - makes everything better.
Creamy Pasta
The pasta gets coated in a rich sauce made from cream, butter, broth, and cheese. Everything melts together to make something smooth and delicious that sticks to the pasta just right.
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Make It Look Nice
Put pasta on plates first, then add chicken on top. Sprinkle fresh parsley over everything. Pour extra garlic butter on top if you want. Looks fancy but wasn't hard to make.
Save For Later
Keep leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for two days. When you warm it up, do it slow and maybe add a splash of cream to make sauce smooth again. Tastes almost as good as fresh made.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Want different pasta?
Any kind works good. Short ones hold sauce. Long ones look nice. Cook em bit firm. Just drain em good.
- → Need it no wheat?
Get special pasta. Check your sauce stuff. Rice pasta works. Watch cook time change. Still gets creamy.
- → Want it lighter?
Use light cream. Less butter works. Cut cheese back. Add more herbs. Broth helps thin.
- → No fancy cheese?
Strong cheese works. Mix cheese kinds. Fresh grate's best. Skip the can stuff. Need it melty type.
- → Keeping leftovers?
Box it up tight. Good three days cold. Heat real slow. Add milk to fix. Stir while warming.
- → Getting too dry?
Save pasta water. Add bit by bit. Lower your heat. More sauce helps. Keep stirring good.
- → Taking it places?
Pack sauce separate. Keep pasta warm. Take extra cream. Heat up there. Mix just before eat.
- → Need it quick?
Cut chicken small. Quick cook pasta. Have stuff ready. One pan works. Still tastes good.
- → Making big batch?
Double works fine. Need bigger pans. More sauce maybe. Watch cooking time. Don't crowd meat.
- → Want more flavor?
Add more garlic. Fresh herbs help. Try red pepper. Season each part. Even wine works.
- → Sauce too thin?
Cook bit longer. Less pasta water. Add more cheese. Keep it moving. Heat helps thick.
- → Chicken not right?
Cut same size bits. Watch heat level. Don't cook too long. Let pan get hot. Butter helps brown.
Conclusion
Love this? Try creamy tomato chicken pasta next. Or make lemon butter chicken. Even baked chicken pasta hits spot.