Description
Garlic Butter Chicken Rigatoni: Juicy chicken cooked in rich garlic butter sauce, tossed with rigatoni, topped with Parmesan. Comforting and flavorful!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 12 ounces (340g) rigatoni pasta
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- ¾ cup (180ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Pasta Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add your rigatoni and cook until al dente according to package directions, usually 10-12 minutes. You want the pasta to maintain a slight bite as it will continue cooking briefly in the sauce. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining – this is your secret ingredient for a silky-smooth sauce! Drain the pasta but don’t rinse it; those starches will help the sauce cling beautifully to each piece.
- Step 2: Season and Cook the ChickenWhile your pasta cooks, prepare your chicken. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels – this is crucial for achieving a perfect golden sear! Season generously with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and half of the Italian seasoning. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and slightly bubbling. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook for 3-4 minutes without moving them around too much. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Step 3: Create the Garlic Butter SauceIn the same skillet (don’t clean it – those browned bits are flavor gold!), add the remaining olive oil and 2 more tablespoons of butter. Reduce heat to medium and add the minced garlic, cooking for just 30-45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add the red pepper flakes and remaining Italian seasoning, stirring quickly to bloom the flavors. Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes.
- Step 4: Finish the DishStir in the heavy cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, allowing the sauce to simmer gently for 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Return the chicken to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Add the drained rigatoni directly to the skillet and toss everything together. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency. Remove the pan from heat and immediately stir in the Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice, tossing until the cheese melts into a silky sauce that coats every bite of your . Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately with extra Parmesan on the side.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg