Description
Cheesy Rotini with Garlic Parmesan Chicken is a comfort-packed, family-friendly pasta dinner that comes together in under an hour. Tender rotini swirled in a velvety cheese sauce pairs perfectly with golden-seared garlic Parmesan chicken bites. It’s creamy, satisfying, and totally irresistible.
Ingredients
1 pound rotini pasta
1.5 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. Cut chicken into bite-sized chunks and season with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Cook rotini in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup pasta water.
3. In a skillet, heat olive oil and sear chicken until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
4. In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Reduce heat and pour in heavy cream. Simmer until slightly thickened.
6. Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan until melted and smooth. Add pasta water to thin if needed.
7. Toss rotini into the sauce until well coated.
8. Fold in seared chicken. Garnish with more Parmesan and parsley.
9. Serve hot. Optionally broil for 2-3 minutes for a bubbly top.
Notes
For best results, use freshly grated cheeses—they melt smoother and taste richer.
Avoid overcooking the pasta; al dente rotini holds up better in the creamy sauce.
Reserve a little pasta water before draining—it helps loosen and smooth out the cheese sauce when mixing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pasta Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 690mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 160mg
Keywords: Cheesy chicken pasta, garlic Parmesan pasta, rotini chicken dinner