This One pot garlic and chicken pasta is just what you need! With juicy chicken, a rich, cheesy sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta, it’s a dish that’s both hearty and satisfying. It comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner or when you’re craving something delicious without a ton of effort.

PROCESS:

• Start by butterflying the chicken breast, then season it with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion flakes, and thyme.

• Cook the chicken in a hot pan with butter until it’s golden and cooked through, then set it aside. In the same pan, cook the onion and garlic until softened, then add vegetable stock and double cream to create a rich sauce.

• Stir in the pasta and let it cook in the sauce until tender, adding extra stock if the sauce thickens too much. Slice the chicken, toss it back into the pan, and mix in the mozzarella and parmesan until the cheese melts into the creamy sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve!

Here’s what you are going to need to make it:

Chicken Breast: This is the main thing in the dish, and it stays juicy and tender when you cook it just right.

Salt and Pepper: These are your basic seasonings—salt brings out all the natural flavors, and pepper adds a little warmth.

Paprika: This gives the chicken a nice smoky flavor and adds a bit of color to the dish.

Garlic Powder: It gives a mild, savory taste without being too overpowering, just enough to bring everything together.

Onion Flakes: These add a bit of sweetness and richness to the seasoning, which helps balance the flavors.

Dried Thyme: A little bit of this goes a long way—it gives the dish a nice herbal flavor that isn’t too strong.

Chili Flakes: Just a sprinkle gives the dish a kick of heat. You can always use less or more depending on how spicy you like it!

Butter: This is essential for cooking the chicken and making the sauce super creamy. It adds richness and helps everything cook evenly.

Olive Oil: You can use this if you want a lighter cooking fat or if you want that extra fruity flavor from the olive oil.

Onion: When it cooks, onion softens and sweetens, giving the sauce a nice base flavor.

Garlic: Fresh garlic makes the sauce smell amazing and adds warmth to the whole dish.

Oregano: This herb is perfect for adding a little Italian flair—earthy and aromatic, it rounds out the sauce nicely.

Dried Parsley: It gives the sauce a little freshness, though fresh parsley is better for garnishing.

Fresh Parsley: You’ll want to sprinkle this on top at the end. It adds color and a fresh, bright flavor to the finished dish.

Vegetable or Chicken Stock: This helps the pasta cook and gives the sauce a savory, rich base to soak up all the flavors.

Double Cream: This makes the sauce really smooth and creamy and helps everything stick together nicely.

Pasta: The pasta soaks up all that creamy goodness. You can use any small pasta, like penne or fusilli, whatever you like!

Mozzarella Cheese: This cheese melts beautifully and makes the sauce nice and gooey, which is just perfect.

Parmesan: A little sprinkle of parmesan adds a sharp, salty flavor that balances out the creaminess of the mozzarella.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large chicken breast (butterflied) around 500 grams

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion flakes

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1/2 tbsp Olive oil (optional, if needed for cooking)

• 1/2 tbsp butter (for cooking the chicken)

For the sauce

• 2 tbsp butter (for the sauce)

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 12 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 1 tsp Black pepper

• 1 tsp Oregano

• 1 tsp Dried parsley

• Fresh parsley (a handful, keep some aside to use later for garnish)

• 1 tsp Chili flakes

• 1 liter vegetable stock

• 250ml double cream

• 400g pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)

• 100g mozzarella cheese, shredded

• 50g hard cheese (e.g., parmesan), grated

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

• Start by butterflying the chicken breast (cut it horizontally into two thinner pieces). This helps it cook faster and stay juicy. Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion flakes and thyme if you want a bit of heat. Don’t be shy with the seasoning it’ll make the dish really flavorful.

Step 2: Cook the Chicken

• In a large skillet or pan, heat the 1/2 tablespoon of butter along with a little olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken. Cook it for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. If the chicken is thick, you might need a bit more time, but make sure it’s fully cooked in the center. Once it’s done, take it out of the pan and set it aside to rest. You’ll slice it later to add to the pasta.

Step 3: Prepare the Sauce

• In the same pan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. You’ll want to keep the leftover chicken flavor in the pan it adds to the dish! Add the chopped onion and cook it for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens and becomes slightly golden. Then, add the garlic (roughly chopped), and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic smells fragrant and becomes soft. Be careful not to let it burn, as garlic can get bitter when overcooked.

Step 4: Simmer the Sauce

• Now, pour in the vegetable stock and the double cream. Stir everything together and bring it to a gentle simmer. This is when all those flavors start to meld together and smell amazing. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, so it thickens slightly. Add in the seasonings black pepper, oregano, dried parsley, fresh parsley and chili flakes and stir in everything together.

Step 5: Cook the Pasta

• Add your uncooked pasta directly into the pan with the sauce. Give it a good stir to make sure the pasta is covered in the sauce. Then let the pasta cook for about 10-12 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally (so the pasta doesn’t stick to the pan). You want the pasta to be tender but not mushy, so check it for doneness as it cooks. If you find the sauce is thickening up too much before the pasta is done, you can add a splash of stock or water to keep it saucy.

Step 6: Add Chicken and Cheese

• Once the pasta is cooked turn the heat off. Add the shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese. Stir it all together until the cheese melts into the sauce which makes everything creamy and delicious. The heat from the pasta and sauce will help the cheese melt beautifully.Slice the cooked chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces. Once the pasta is cooked, add the chicken on top of the pasta or you can stir the chicken back into the pan with the pasta.

Step 7: Garnish and Serve

• Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top for a burst of color and freshness. Serve hot and enjoy!

Tips and Notes:

• Give the chicken some space in the pan so it can brown properly and cook evenly.

• If you’re using more pasta, you may need to add a little extra stock or cream to keep the sauce nice and creamy.

• Stocks can vary in saltiness, so taste the sauce before adding more salt to avoid it being too salty.

• When you’re done cooking, leave a little liquid in the pan. It’ll help make the pasta extra glossy and coat everything beautifully.

• You can easily toss in some spinach, mushrooms, or bell peppers for extra flavor and texture. Just sauté them along with the onions!