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Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta

Garlic butter chicken pasta with golden chicken strips, spaghetti tossed in a glistening garlic-butter sauce, and Parmesan curls. Quick weeknight pasta dinner with a lemony finish and parsley on top.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 860
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Cut into strips
  • 1 salt To taste
  • 1 black pepper To taste
  • 1 garlic powder To taste
  • 1 Italian seasoning To taste
Pasta and sauce
  • 12 oz spaghetti Cooked; reserve 1 cup pasta water
  • 1 cup pasta water Reserved cooking liquid, for loosening sauce
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 8 cloves garlic Minced
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese Freshly grated
  • 1 fresh parsley Chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, then remove and set aside.
Build the garlic butter sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden at the edges.
Toss the pasta
  1. Add the lemon juice to the skillet and toss in the cooked spaghetti. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time, tossing until the sauce coats all the pasta and looks glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the seared chicken strips to the skillet and top the pasta. Sprinkle Parmesan and fresh parsley generously over the top for a fresh, green finish and salty shine, then serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve about 1 cup of pasta water and add it gradually so the sauce emulsifies and clings to every strand. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. For a lighter option, use 4 tbsp butter instead of 6 and add an extra splash of pasta water for the same silky coating.