This recipe for Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Creamy Parmesan Pasta is a delicious fusion of classic comfort food and Italian-American flavors. The rich garlic butter sauce complements the tender, bite-sized chicken, while the creamy Parmesan pasta provides the perfect, indulgent base. It’s a dish that delivers on both flavor and simplicity, making it ideal for weeknight dinners or a cozy meal with friends.
INGREDIENTS- Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless: 1 lb, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons, for frying the chicken
- Butter, unsalted: 4 tablespoons, for the garlic butter sauce
- Garlic: 4 cloves, minced, to flavor the dish
- Salt and pepper: to taste
- Italian seasoning: 1 teaspoon, for seasoning the chicken
- Parsley, fresh: chopped, for garnish
- Fettuccine: 12 oz, or any preferred pasta
- Butter: 2 tablespoons, for the creamy sauce
- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced, for the cream sauce
- Heavy cream: 1 cup, for the creamy pasta sauce
- Parmesan cheese, grated: 1 cup, to thicken and flavor the sauce
- Chicken broth: 1/2 cup, to add depth to the cream sauce
- Salt and pepper: to taste, for the sauce
- Extra garlic butter: optional, for drizzling over the final dish
- Step 1:
- Boil a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta until tender, then drain and set aside.
- Step 2:
- In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the chicken pieces, seasoning them with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Step 3:
- After the chicken turns golden, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Step 4:
- Melt butter in the pan, sauté garlic, then return the chicken to coat in the garlic butter sauce.
- Step 5:
- In another pan, make the creamy sauce by sautéing garlic in butter, adding heavy cream and chicken broth, and whisking in Parmesan until smooth.
- Step 6:
- Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce, then plate the pasta and top with garlic butter chicken bites.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
- If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently to avoid drying out the sauce.
- For extra flavor, drizzle additional garlic butter over the dish before serving.
- Feel free to substitute the fettuccine with any pasta you prefer, such as spaghetti or penne.
Tips from Well-Known Chefs
- Chef Mario Batali suggests always using fresh Parmesan for a richer sauce.
- Chef Ina Garten recommends adding a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the garlic butter chicken.