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Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta

Garlic butter chicken pasta with golden chicken strips and spaghetti tossed until glossy in a rich garlic butter sauce. Finished with lemony brightness, Parmesan curls, and fresh parsley for an easy weeknight pasta dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken breasts
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste
pasta
  • 12 oz spaghetti, cooked (reserve 1 cup pasta water)
sauce
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the chicken
  1. Season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, then remove and set aside.
Make the garlic butter sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden at the edges.
Toss and finish
  1. Add fresh lemon juice to the skillet and toss in the cooked spaghetti. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time, tossing until the sauce coats every strand and looks glossy.
  2. Add the seared chicken strips back to the skillet and toss to combine. Continue tossing just until the chicken is warmed through and the pasta is evenly coated.
  3. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan and chopped parsley generously over the top. Serve immediately so the butter sauce stays silky and coats the spaghetti.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve and use pasta water gradually—start with a few tablespoons and toss until the sauce clings to the spaghetti (glossy, not watery). Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended since the butter sauce can separate when thawed. For a lighter option, use 3 tablespoons butter and add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil to keep the sauce creamy with less saturated fat.