This garlic parmesan pasta with chicken is a lightened up version of a traditional chicken alfredo. The sauce has a secret ingredient - cottage cheese! You'd never know and it adds creaminess and an additional boost of protein.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This pasta will remind you of a classic chicken alfredo, except it's much lighter without the heavy cream or cream cheese.
- This dinner is versatile and great for both a special occasion and busy weeknights.
- The creamy garlic sauce has simple ingredients and an extra boost of protein thanks to the cottage cheese.
- It's a delicious dish the entire family will love!
Ingredient Notes
For the chicken:
- Boneless skinless chicken breast- you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Paprika
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Brown sugar or coconut sugar
For the pasta:
- Cottage cheese
- Milk- normal or unsweetened almond milk will both work. For a creamier version, try whole milk.
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- Fresh grated parmesan cheese- make sure you use fresh grated parmesan cheese because it melts much better than pre-shredded.
- Pasta- use whatever shape of pasta you prefer! Bow tie and penne pasta are our go-tos. Easily swap for gluten-free noodles if you prefer.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements for this chicken parmesan garlic pasta.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Grill or oven
- 2 large pots
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board and knife
- Colander or strainer
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Start by preparing the chicken. Butterfly each chicken breast (slice in half so the chicken breast is half of the original thickness). Add the chicken to a bowl and drizzle the olive oil over. Measure out the spices in a small bowl and blend them together before pouring them over the chicken breast. Mix until each piece of chicken is evenly coated in seasoning.
Step 2: You can either grill or bake the chicken. (Our favorite is the grill option!)
For baking: Line a baking dish with parchment paper and place the chicken breasts in a single layer. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes until the thickest portion reaches 165 degrees.
For grilling: Preheat the grill on medium heat for 5 minutes. Place chicken breasts in an even layer on the grill. Close the lid of the grill to retain heat and allow the chicken to cook evenly. After 3 minutes, flip each piece of chicken and close the lid of the grill again. Allow the chicken to cook on the second side for 3-4 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Step 3: While the chicken cooks, start on the pasta and sauce. Add water to a large pot and place it on the stove. Add a generous amount of salt to the water and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to package directions and drain when cooked.
Step 4: While the pasta cooks, add the cottage cheese, milk, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cornstarch to a blender. Blend the mixture for 30 seconds until its completely smooth.
Step 5: Place a large saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the sauce to the pan with the parmesan and heat it gently, stirring constantly, until it starts to simmer and thickens to your liking.
Step 6: Once the chicken, pasta, and sauce are all ready, add the pasta noodles to the saucepan with the garlic parmesan sauce. Stir to coat all the noodles evenly.
Step 7: Serve hot with the chicken on top and more parmesan, if desired.
Tips & Variations
- Want to simplify the dish even more for a weeknight dinner? Use rotisserie chicken instead.
- Watch the pasta closely- al dente pasta is perfectly cooked and holds its shape well.
- Heat the creamy pasta sauce slowly to prevent it from curdling.
- Feel free to add fresh spinach or cooked broccoli to the pasta. Fresh parsley and parmesan is a yummy finishing touch. Add a few red pepper flakes for a little kick.
- The air fryer is another option for cooking the chicken.
FAQ
Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
This recipe is not dairy-free or vegan. This recipe can be made gluten-free with the use of gluten-free noodles. For a vegetarian option, leave the chicken off.
If you like this easy chicken pasta recipe, check out a few of our other easy pasta recipes:
If you make this garlic parmesan chicken pasta recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Garlic Parmesan Pasta With Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
For the pasta
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup milk (regular milk or unsweetened almond milk)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (pre-shredded parmesan doesn't melt as well and can change the texture of the sauce)
- 12 oz uncooked pasta
Instructions
- Start by preparing the chicken. Butterfly each chicken breast (slice in half so the chicken breast is half of the original thickness). Add the chicken to a bowl and drizzle the olive oil over. Measure out the spices in a small bowl and blend them together before pouring them over the chicken breast. Mix until each piece of chicken is evenly coated in seasoning.
- You can either grill or bake the chicken. (Our favorite is the grill option!)For baking: Line a baking dish with parchment paper and place the chicken breasts in a single layer. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes until the thickest portion reaches 165 degrees.For grilling: Preheat the grill on medium heat for 5 minutes. Place chicken breasts in an even layer on the grill. Close the lid of the grill to retain heat and allow the chicken to cook evenly. After 3 minutes, flip each piece of chicken and close the lid of the grill again. Allow the chicken to cook on the second side for 3-4 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- While the chicken cooks, start on the pasta and sauce. Add water to a large pot and place it on the stove. Add a generous amount of salt to the water and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cook the pasta al dente according to package directions and drain when cooked.
- While the pasta cooks, add the cottage cheese, milk, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cornstarch to a blender. Blend the mixture for 30 seconds until it's completely smooth. Place a large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the sauce to the pan with the parmesan and heat it gently, stirring constantly, until it starts to simmer and thickens to your liking.
- Once the chicken, pasta, and sauce are all ready, add the cooked pasta to the saucepan with the garlic parmesan sauce. Stir to coat all the noodles evenly. Serve hot with the chicken on top and more parmesan, if desired.
Notes
NUTRITION
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta."
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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