Go Back

Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta

Garlic butter chicken pasta with golden chicken strips tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce that clings to every strand. Cook the spaghetti with a splash of reserved pasta water for a glossy, silky finish topped with parsley and Parmesan.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste.
Pasta
  • 12 oz spaghetti, cooked (reserve 1 cup pasta water Reserve pasta water for thinning and coating.
Garlic butter sauce
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Finishing
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated For topping.
  • 1 Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Pasta water
  • 1 cup pasta water Add a splash at a time to coat.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste, then cook in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through; remove and set aside.
Make the garlic butter sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and the garlic has golden edges.
  2. Add the lemon juice and toss the cooked spaghetti into the garlic butter sauce.
  3. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time, tossing until the sauce coats all the pasta and looks glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Top the pasta with the seared chicken strips.
  2. Sprinkle Parmesan and fresh parsley generously over the top for a finished, speckled look.
  3. Serve immediately while the butter is glistening on the spaghetti.

Notes

Pro tip: add pasta water gradually and keep tossing until the sauce turns glossy instead of greasy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended because the butter sauce can separate. For a lighter option, use half the butter and add an extra splash of pasta water to keep the sauce silky.