Garlic Chicken Spaghetti

Some rough days just really need a super simple yet super flavorful dinner. Garlic Chicken Spaghetti is the perfect recipe for that. You probably have all of the ingredients already in your house for this one – and it is so fast to put together, you will feel like you didn’t really do anything.

There is a bit of controversy about using pasta water to thicken sauces – but to be honest – it does work. That starch that comes off the pasta really does help to thicken a simple oil sauce. I wouldn’t put it up against a cream or milk-based sauce, but for a light sauce – it’s a win.

I realize it seems like a lot of garlic – but seriously, can you call it Garlic Chicken Spaghetti if it doesn’t have a big garlic flavor? I do use the minced California Garlic – I go through probably 3 jars of it a month. In general – 1 tsp equals one clove of garlic minced. It has great flavor with minimal effort which is so needed for weeknight meals! Be sure to use GRATED and not SHREDDED Parmesan cheese for this dish – you want the flavor but not the big presence. So you want it to mostly dissolve in the oil sauce and not stay in shreds. If you wanted to throw in some ribbons of spinach to get that veggie count in – you could totally do that when you add the cheese.

I didn’t do a side with this, but a crusty bread or side salad would be great. You could also do a simple roasted asparagus. Layout 1.5 pounds of asparagus (bottoms trimmed) on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Bake for 25 minutes at 400deg.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

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Garlic Chicken Spaghetti

A super fast, super tasty simple weeknight dinner that is full of flavor

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Chicken, Garlic, Parmesan, Pasta, pasta dishes

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 2 lb Chicken Breast boneless, skinless
• 1 qt Chicken Broth
• 6 Garlic Cloves minced, divided
• 1½ lb Spaghetti
• 4 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp Parsley
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated

Instructions

• Start water boiling for pasta.
• In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add chicken, chicken broth and half of garlic. Cook for 20 minutes. Then remove from pan and chop into bite-sized pieces.
• Add pasta to water and cook as directed on package. Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water.
• In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add oil, remaining garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add cooked pasta and stir for 3 minutes. Add reserved pasta water, chicken and parsley. Cook another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then add cheese and toss to coat.