Description
Creamy and flavorful Garlic Parmesan Chicken Spaghetti, featuring tender chicken breasts and a rich cheese sauce, perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 340 g spaghetti
- 15 ml olive oil
- 56 g salted butter, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.125 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
- 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 60 g grated Parmesan cheese for crusting chicken
- 360 ml heavy cream
- 180 ml low sodium chicken broth
- 110 g shredded mozzarella
- 110 g shredded sharp cheddar
- 75 g grated Parmesan cheese for sauce
- 57 g cream cheese, softened
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until just al dente. Drain, drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.
- Pat the chicken strips dry. Season thoroughly with Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Press 60 g grated Parmesan onto the chicken to form a light crust.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm olive oil and 28 g butter. Add the chicken and sear for 4–6 minutes, turning as needed until cooked through and golden brown. During the final minute, add 14 g butter and half the garlic, stir until fragrant. Transfer chicken to a plate and reserve.
- Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Sauté the remaining garlic for 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add cream cheese, whisking until smooth. Gradually stir in mozzarella, cheddar, and 75 g grated Parmesan. Season with Italian seasoning, dried basil and, if desired, crushed red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet with the sauce. Toss thoroughly to coat pasta evenly. Let rest over low heat for 1 minute to absorb the flavors.
- Arrange the sauced spaghetti on plates. Top with the parmesan-crusted chicken strips and finish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer crushed red pepper flakes.
- For a lower-calorie option, you can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 700
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 150mg