Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta Recipe
Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta – This crowd-pleasing one-pot chicken pasta recipe includes a rich cream sauce that tastes just like Buffalo Wild Wings Garlic Parmesan Sauce, and is quick and easy to make at home in 20 minutes!
- 1 pound chicken breast (cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 1 pound small pasta (I used gemelli)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups garlic parmesan sauce (store-bought or homemade!)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Set an extra-large sauté pan (with a lid) on the stovetop over high heat. Add the broth to the pan, cover, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, stir in the pasta and raw chicken chunks. Stir well so that the pasta is mostly covered with broth. Then cover again and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add in the Garlic Parmesan Sauce, heavy cream, and crushed red pepper. Simmer for another 2 minutes to thicken the sauce and finish cooking the chicken. Then sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve warm.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
If you’ve enjoyed Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings from Buffalo Wild Wings, you are going to LOVE this recipe! Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is a brilliant dinner made in one pot with our homemade Garlic Parmesan Sauce (or store-bought) and your choice of tender noodles. It’s rich, creamy, delicious, and always a huge hit with the family.
Why You’ll Love Buffalo Wild Wings Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
This easy one-pot dish requires little cleanup and is ready to serve in as little as 20 minutes. In a word, it’s a PERFECT weeknight meal to please a crowd!
Yes, you can go out to eat and order this at complete quality control.
- Garlic parmesan sauce – Although our creamy garlic sauce is simple to make, in a pinch, you can use a store-bought jar of sauce as well!
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Tips for Success – Use an extra-large sauté pan (or a large skillet with a lid) that accommodates all the ingredients.
Find the full Buffalo Wild Wings Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Recipe Variations
- Pasta – Use whatever variety of small pasta you like. Here we use gemelli, but other noodles like elbow or macaroni, mini shells, rotini, penne, or fusilli are great options as well.
- Gluten free – The Parmesan garlic sauce needs to be gluten-free – see our recipe adjustments for the homemade version. Then use your preferred gluten free pasta to make the dish.
- Precooked chicken – Instead of raw chicken, feel free to add cooked chicken, chopped or shredded, to the pot after the pasta has finished cooking.
- Vegetarian – You can leave out chicken entirely for a meatless Parmesan and garlic pasta dish.
- Vegetables – Want to veggie-fy your pasta? Add small fresh broccoli florets, spinach, or chopped bell peppers when you add the sauce.
- Leave off red pepper – Skip the crushed red pepper to make this a mild and more kid-friendly dinner.
- Additional toppings – Consider adding shaved parmesan cheese, crispy fried onions, or toasted panko breadcrumbs over the cooked pasta and creamy sauce.
Serve Buffalo Wild Wings-style Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta with warm breadsticks and a fresh, crisp green salad.
Our homemade breadsticks are always a fan favorite (seriously, they are better than Olive Garden’s). Or bring a simple and delicious loaf of garlic bread to the table! And the cheesy Parmesan sauce is perfect to balance with a refreshing steakhouse-style Caesar salad.
Do pasta and chicken go together?
Absolutely! Pasta and chicken are a perfect match. Here are other versions of this love-match: Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Chicken Pesto Pasta Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Best Chicken Noodle Soup.
How do you thicken Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce?
The sauce will thicken on its own while it simmers, and will continue to thicken as it cools. But you can add a cornstarch slurry if it still seems too loose. Whisk 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 2-3 teaspoons of heavy cream. Slowly stir into the sauce, bit by bit, as it simmers on low to medium heat. You can also add a couple of tablespoons of cream cheese to the sauce to thicken it!
How long do leftovers last?
Leftover pasta is super tasty, and these leftovers store very well! Let it cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in short bursts at 50% power, or on the stovetop over lower heat. You might want to pour in a splash of cream or milk to loosen the Parmesan garlic sauce.
Can I make this pasta in the crockpot?
In theory, yes. However, this pasta is so quick and easy to make on the stovetop that it would almost take more effort to make it in a slow cooker. We suggest you skip the crock pot this time!
