Garlic Chicken Pasta

Last updated on February 7th, 2026

You know when you really need to go to the grocery store and you look in your cabinets and just think…um blah! What will I make?! Some of my favorite dishes come out of this situation! And no…I’m not talking about plugging whatever ingredients you have into the ChatGPT app and seeing what suggestions you get. I’m talking about using your culinary creativity and making something up on the fly! This Garlic Chicken Pasta was one of those – and it turned out SO AMAZING! The flavor of this chicken was so bomb! My husband’s first bite he says, “and you just threw this together?” And ya’ll, he’s literally my harshest critic! This pasta was so good, and it was easy to make – it only took about 30 minutes! The kids loved it! It was so garlicky, buttery, just incredibly good! I had the leftovers for breakfast the next day!

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How does garlic ooze flavor onto everything it touches?

Really great question! Because it’s garlic! When garlic is minced or crushed, there’s an enzyme called “alliinase” which converts alliin to allicin, which is the compound that’s responsible for the sharp taste and pungent aroma that garlic creates!

I use garlic in pretty much every single recipe I make aside from desserts of course and I make sure to add like 3, 4, 5 cloves to every single one. It just really takes everything to the next level for our family; there is so much flavor to uncover there! And the house smells FANTASTIC as a result!

What ingredients do I need to make this dish?

For the chicken:

Chicken Breast
Salt
Black Pepper
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Italian Seasoning

For the garlic chicken pasta:

Fettuccine
Garlic
Olive Oil
Butter
Chicken Broth
Reserved Pasta Water
Salt
Italian Seasoning
Parmesan

For serving:

Green Onion
Parmesan

What equipment do I need?

• Stock Pot
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Cheese Grater
• Strainer
• Small Dish
• Whisk

How do I make it?

To prep the chicken:

The first thing you’ll want to do is trim the fat off your chicken breast and cut them in half crosswise. Next, in a small bowl, add all seasonings for the chicken and whisk to combine.

Sprinkle all over the chicken, rubbing it in with your hands, adequately covering both sides.

To make the garlic chicken pasta:

Get out a large stockpot, fill it with some salty water and get that boiling for the pasta. Remember, we need to reserve some starchy pasta water, so a couple minutes after you add the pasta to the pot, grab that and set it to the side until ready to use.

Cook pasta to package instructions, drain, and set aside.

Next, in a cast iron skillet heat oil on medium heat until shimmering. Add chicken breast halves and cook without disturbing for a few minutes per side.

Move chicken to a plate covered with foil until ready to use.

In the same pan, melt butter on medium-low and cook the garlic until fragrant.

Slowly pour in the pasta water and broth, then scrape those flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan. This is called deglazing the pan, which helps to enhance the flavor of the sauce!

Add the rest of the seasonings and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.

To serve:

Add the parmesan and cooked pasta, tossing to coat with the sauce. Garnish with more parmesan and green onion! Enjoy!

Tips:

• This garlic chicken pasta will keep 3-5 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you could always use a stainless-steel skillet! The goal is to get that nice flavorful crust on the chicken breast, which can be hard to do with a nonstick pan!
• If you don’t have broth, you can just up the pasta water by 1/2 cup! You may also want to add a touch more salt because the broth does have sodium and flavor that really adds to the dish!
• Use any pasta you want for this! I do recommend a longer pasta to keep the integrity of the recipe, but it doesn’t really matter!
• While waiting to restock on groceries, I ran out of parsley (GASP!) so, that’s why I used the green onion, which I feel like really added to the flavor profile! But – you can certainly use parsley or herb of your choice for garnish. Basil would be really yummy too!

Love chicken and pasta? Check out some more of my recipes!

• Crockpot Chicken Alfredo
• Baked Chicken Spaghetti
• Cheddar Chicken Broccoli Bowtie