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Garlic butter chicken pasta in skillet.
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5 from 2 votes

Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta

Tender chicken and al dente pasta in a garlic butter sauce with cherry tomatoes! This is a quick and easy dinner the entire family will love, and it goes with almost any side dish. Whip it up in just 30-40 minutes using a handful of staple ingredients.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Resting time10 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken Pasta Recipe, Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta, Garlic Butter Pasta And Chicken
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 441kcal
Author: Stacey Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 medium chicken breasts *6-8 oz. each *see note below
  • Kosher salt and black pepper *see note below
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil *or avocado oil
  • 8 ounces (about 2 & ½ cups) whole wheat rotini pasta *see note below
  • 5 tablespoons salted butter *see note below
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic *see note below

Optional toppings

  • Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, chopped fresh parsley

Recipe notes

Chicken: I like to buy organic chicken breasts because they're usually quite a bit smaller and less woody in texture. I generally use 6-8 ounces pieces, but you can also use one larger chicken breast, if desired. 
Kosher salt: I like a large grain salt like kosher or sea salt in this recipe. It adds nice texture and a bit of crunch. Table salt works fine, though. 
Pasta:  whole wheat pasta adds an extra bit of fiber to this recipe, but you don't have to use a whole wheat option. Also, note that any shape of noodle will work fine, so use what you've got on hand (even spaghetti)! If you need a gluten free option, I highly recommend Banza Chickpea Pasta! It's so good and tastes just like regular wheat pasta.
Butter: unsalted butter can also be used. Consider sprinkling in some table salt when melting your butter if you go this route.
Garlic: I keep a jar of minced garlic in the fridge at all times, it's so convenient! You can also mince up 2-3 fresh garlic cloves.

Instructions

  • Place chicken in a plastic bag and pound with a tenderizer (or your first) until even in thickness. They should be ¼-½" thick.
    2 medium chicken breasts
  • Remove chicken from bag and sprinkle both sides generously with black pepper and salt.
    Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Once oil is hot, add chicken and sauté for 8-10 minutes. Flip and sauté 8-10 more, until golden with an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from pan and rest at least 10 minutes before cutting.
  • While chicken is sautéing, multitask and make your pasta according to package instructions. Not all packaging specifies this, but be sure to add 1-2 tablespoons of salt to your pasta water before boiling for extra flavorful noodles.
    8 ounces (about 2 & ½ cups) whole wheat rotini pasta
  • If your pan has excessive residue from cooking chicken, carefully pour ¼ cup of water into the skillet while it's still hot. Dump water and wipe clean with a paper towel.
  • Place pan back on the stove, reduce heat to medium-low. Put butter in the skillet and allow it to melt completely.
    5 tablespoons salted butter, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • Add tomatoes and cook them in butter for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant (garlic burns easily so be careful, it won't take long)!
  • Remove pan from heat, drain noodles and mix them into butter sauce. Slice (or dice) chicken and stir into skillet.
  • Add toppings like parmesan, red pepper flakes and parsley if desired. Plate and enjoy!
    Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, chopped fresh parsley

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4th of recipe (all values are approximate). | Sugar: 0.5g | Fiber: 4.8g | Calories: 441kcal | Fat: 19.1g | Protein: 29.7g | Carbohydrates: 38.3g