Cozy and comforting, this Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta is one of my favorite high protein dinners with some hidden veggies!
Pasta night is arguably one of the best nights of the week. As a dietitian, I can promise you that I will never tell you that you can't have pasta. What I will tell you: add protein and fibre when you can!
This could look like pairing your classic spaghetti bolognese with a side salad, or making a balanced recipe like my hidden veggie mac and cheese or this chicken garlic Parmesan pasta. My family has had this chicken garlic Parmesan pasta on rotation for the last couple weeks, and I know you're going to love it.
We start with garlic and shallots, sauteed in butter. Then we make a creamy pasta sauce that packs in a whole head of hidden cauliflower (!!!) and stir it all together with Parmesan cheese. Top with fresh parsley and pan cooked chicken breast, and you have the BEST balanced dinner!
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Hidden vegetables. If you don't feel like a salad at dinner, this creamy pasta sauce seamlessly incorporates a whole head of cauliflower.
- Easy to make. This chicken garlic Parmesan pasta is so delicious, but very simple to prepare. We love a low effort, super tasty weeknight dinner!
- Lightened up. Although this pasta has a delicious creamy sauce, we don't use any heavy cream. It's a great option if you're looking for something lighter or lower in fat.
Ingredients
Butter. I always love using butter when sauteeing garlic to create the best flavour! A little goes a long way.
Garlic and shallots. These aromatics add so much flavour into the base of this pasta. I always recommend using fresh garlic if possible. If you are in a pinch, pre-minced jarred garlic and a yellow cooking onion works.
Spices. Salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and dried parsley are the only spices you will need for this pasta.
Parmesan. I recommend using freshly grated parmesan for the most flavour. Measure with your heart (or use the suggested amount in the recipe!).
Cauliflower. Full of fibre and vitamin C, cauliflower has such a mild flavour that it creates the creamiest, nutrient-packed sauce.
Milk. I typically use 2% milk in this recipe, however any milk will work! Feel free to choose the milk that you have on hand. Please note the higher the fat composition, the creamier the sauce will be.
Chicken. We use boneless, skinless chicken breast for our lean protein of choice.
Pasta. Any pasta of choice will work great! I used fusili macaroni noodles for a fun twist, however use what you have available.
Parsley. Fresh parsley adds a little colour and flavour to our final dish once cooked! Fresh basil would be another delicious choice.
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously. Once the water is boiling, add cauliflower. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until soft enough to be pierced with a fork. Drain the water, ensuring you save 1 cup of water to be used for the sauce.
- Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add chicken breast, cook for about 5 minutes per side (until the outer layer is browned). Place the lid on the skillet, reduce the heat to low and allow to cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 180 F.
- In a separate skillet over medium heat, add butter. Once the butter has melted, add garlic and shallots along with the dried parsley and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the shallots are translucent in colour.
- To a high powered blender or food processor, add the cooked cauliflower, garlic, shallots, reserved 1 cup of water, milk , salt and black pepper. Blend until smooth (about 5 minutes).
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Once the pasta is cooked, pour the sauce over the pasta ( you may have additional sauce leftover) and stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Top with chicken. Season to taste and garnish with fresh parsley.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: use a gluten-free pasta of choice.
To make dairy-free: use a dairy-free milk and a dairy-free alternative like nutritional yeast.
To make nut-free: this recipe is nut-free.
Equipment
Storage
Leftover chicken garlic Parmesan pasta can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing this pasta, as the sauce will separate once defrosted.
Top Tips for Success
For the smoothest pasta sauce, ensure your cauliflower is soft enough. The cauliflower is ready to blend when it can easily be pierced and picked up using a fork.
If you find your sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk while blending.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, that works too.
Yes! Just ensure you defrost it first, and then you can follow the recipe exactly as written.
You can simply omit the chicken or add another vegetarian protein of choice. For a high protein vegetarian swap, try using chickpea pasta!
More Pasta Recipes
Here are some of my other favorite pasta recipes:
- Cottage Cheese Alfredo Pasta
- Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta
- High Protein Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli
- Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Pasta
See you in the kitchen!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this chicken garlic Parmesan pasta, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 small head of cauliflower about 2.5 cups, chopped into florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 lb of boneless skinless chicken breast
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 3 shallots diced
- 2 tablespoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2% milk
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 3 cups dry pasta cooked according to package instructions
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously. Once the water is boiling, add cauliflower. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until soft enough to be pierced with a fork. Drain the water, ensuring you save 1 cup of water to be used for the sauce.
- Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add chicken breast, cook for about 5 minutes per side (until the outer layer is browned). Place the lid on the skillet, reduce the heat to low and allow to cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 180 F.
- In a separate skillet over medium heat, add butter. Once the butter has melted, add garlic and shallots along with the dried parsley and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the shallots are translucent in colour.
- To a high powered blender or food processor, add the cooked cauliflower, garlic, shallots, reserved 1 cup of water, milk , salt and black pepper. Blend until smooth (about 5 minutes).
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Once the pasta is cooked, pour the sauce over the pasta ( you may have additional sauce leftover) stir in the parmesan cheese and top with chicken. Season to taste and garnish with fresh parsley.
Erin says
This is such a great meal. Filling and delicious. My kids devoured it and tend to be picky in regards to vegetables. This cauliflower based sauce was easily palleted by them. Great week night meal that was ready in about 30 minutes start to finish.
Katie says
So yummy! It really satisfies the need for comfort food without the heavy cream which *chefs kiss*. I went a little heavy on the red pepper flakes which made it spicy so next time I’m using less red pepper flakes and a little more salt (I like garlic salt). Even my husband got into it.
Nicole Addison says
The PERFECT meal for picky eaters! With 41g of protein (and an entire serving of hidden veggies) I hope this one is a hit with you and your family!