Description
A comforting pasta dish with a creamy garlic and smoked paprika sauce, tender chicken, and freshly grated Parmesan.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust for spice preference)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 100 g)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 340 g (12 oz) fettuccine or pasta of choice
- Juice of half a lemon
Instructions
- Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 6–8 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Once melted, add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in the heavy cream and let the mixture simmer for another 2–3 minutes to slightly thicken.
- Gradually add the Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously until it has melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to combine with the sauce. Add the lemon juice and chopped parsley, stirring to mix.
- In a separate pot, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet, tossing to coat evenly with the sauce and chicken.
- Cook for another 2–3 minutes to ensure the pasta is well combined and heated through.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.
Notes
This is a hearty, calorie-rich dish best enjoyed as part of a balanced meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 955
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 1400mg
- Fat: 47g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 67g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 61g
- Cholesterol: 175mg