Garlic Butter Chicken with Rigatoni and Parmesan
This Garlic Butter Chicken with Rigatoni and Parmesan is creamy, comforting, and packed with flavor. Tender chicken is pan-seared and tossed with rigatoni pasta in a rich garlic butter sauce, then finished with freshly grated Parmesan for the ultimate pasta dinner. It’s perfect for cozy nights, casual date dinners, or just a crave-worthy weeknight meal — ready in 30 minutes!
Calories: 520kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cubed
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup reserved pasta water
- Chopped parsley or basil for garnish
- Extra Parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt butter and sauté garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add chicken and cooked pasta back to the skillet. Pour in Parmesan and reserved pasta water. Toss until creamy and fully coated.
- Adjust salt, pepper, and add more pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Serve warm, topped with more Parmesan and fresh herbs.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan — it melts smoother and gives the best flavor.
- Want to sneak in veggies? Add spinach or mushrooms when you add the chicken back.
- For extra richness, stir in a splash of cream or a spoonful of cream cheese at the end.
- Use chicken tenders for quicker cooking or swap in shrimp for a seafood twist.
- Rigatoni holds sauce beautifully, but penne or bowtie pasta works too!