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Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta

Garlic butter chicken pasta with spaghetti tossed in a rich garlic-butter sauce and golden chicken strips. The sauce clings to every strand using reserved pasta water, finished with Parmesan curls and fresh parsley.
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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: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron 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.
Make the garlic butter sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden at the edges, stirring as needed.
Toss and finish
  1. Add 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.
  2. Top the pasta with the seared chicken strips so they warm through in the hot sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan and fresh parsley generously over the top.
  3. Serve immediately while the spaghetti is glossy and the chicken is hot.

Notes

Pro tip: add pasta water gradually until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the spaghetti—this is what makes it taste silky without extra cream. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended. For a lighter option, use half butter and replace the rest with olive oil (or use a light butter) for a milder, less rich sauce.