Cooking Tips
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Creamy Parmesan Spaghetti
Golden garlic butter chicken bites over tender spaghetti in a velvety Parmesan cream sauce — a restaurant-style family dinner.
By Steak House Diaries Editorial Desk | Published | Updated | 2 min read
This is the pasta dinner that pleases everyone: chicken cut into bites so every piece gets a golden, garlicky crust, folded over spaghetti coated in a Parmesan cream sauce that is rich but not heavy. The reserved pasta water is what makes the sauce cling instead of pool. It comes together fast and disappears faster.
Ingredients
Chicken and pasta:
800 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large bite-sized pieces
350 g spaghetti pasta
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Creamy garlic Parmesan spaghetti:
350 g spaghetti (from the amount above)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup chicken broth
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup whole milk
½ tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup reserved pasta water, as needed to loosen the sauce
Method
1. Boil the spaghetti in salted water until just al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and oregano.
3. Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken bites for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked to 165°F (74°C). Remove and set aside.
4. In the same pan, melt the remaining butter, cook the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the cream, broth and milk. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes.
5. Stir in the Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper until smooth, loosening with splashes of pasta water until the sauce coats a spoon.
6. Toss the spaghetti through the sauce, top with the chicken bites, scatter with parsley and serve immediately.
Cooking Tips
Cut the chicken pieces evenly so they all finish at the same time.
The pasta water is liquid gold — its starch is what makes the sauce glossy and clinging.
Toss the pasta in the sauce for a full minute; that is when the sauce truly coats every strand.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the creamy garlic mushroom pasta article?
That one is fusilli in a tomato cream sauce with mushrooms; this one is spaghetti in a Parmesan cream sauce topped with garlic butter chicken bites, with no mushrooms or tomato.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes — boneless thighs stay juicy and need about the same time; cook to 165°F (74°C) as with breasts.