Description
A deliciously creamy chicken pasta recipe featuring tender pan-fried chicken breast and a rich garlic rosemary cream sauce with parmesan, tossed with perfectly cooked pasta for a quick and satisfying meal ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh pasta
Chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 chicken breast (flattened to 1-1.5cm thickness)
- Salt and pepper, to season
- 1 tablespoon flour
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup cream
- 50 grams parmesan, very finely grated
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Lemon zest and extra rosemary leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta, undercooking it by 1 minute. Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Prepare the chicken: Flatten the chicken breast to an even thickness of about 1-1.5 cm by covering it with plastic wrap and gently pounding it with a rolling pin. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour.
- Fry the chicken: Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken breast for 2 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through if thicker. Remove from the pan, lightly wrap it in foil, and set aside to rest.
- Sauté garlic and rosemary: In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and cook gently for about one minute without browning it. Add the chopped rosemary and cook for an additional 30 seconds to release its flavor.
- Make the cream sauce: Pour in the cream and bring to a very gentle simmer, reducing heat if necessary to prevent boiling. Gradually add the parmesan in 2 or 3 batches, stirring well to melt before adding more.
- Season the sauce: Stir in the black pepper and lemon juice quickly to combine.
- Thicken the sauce: Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce and allow it to gently simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the drained pasta to the sauce, tossing well to coat. Let it gently bubble together for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Serve: Slice the rested chicken breast and either place it on top of the pasta or toss it through. Garnish with extra rosemary leaves, freshly grated lemon zest, and additional parmesan as desired.
Notes
- Use fresh or dried pasta based on preference; cooking times will vary slightly.
- Flattening the chicken breast helps it cook evenly and quickly.
- Wrap the cooked chicken in foil to keep it warm and juicy while making the sauce.
- Do not let the cream boil to prevent curdling and maintain a smooth sauce texture.
- Reserve pasta water is key to adjusting sauce consistency.
- This recipe serves 2 but can be easily doubled.
