Easy Creamy Chicken Spaghetti with Garlic White Sauce

There’s something about a garlic-laden cream sauce draped over perfectly cooked spaghetti that just makes everything feel right. Throw in tender chicken and suddenly you’ve got a dish that tastes like you’ve been cooking all day when really you pulled it together in about 45 minutes.

This creamy chicken spaghetti with garlic white sauce is the kind of meal that shows up on dinner tables everywhere but somehow still feels like a special occasion when you make it at home. It’s comfort food that doesn’t apologize for being indulgent, elegance that doesn’t require fancy techniques, and honestly just really damn good pasta.

The beauty of this dish is how the garlic-infused cream sauce coats every inch of spaghetti, how the chicken stays tender and juicy, how everything comes together in layers of flavor that feel way more complicated than they actually are. It’s the type of recipe that makes you feel confident in the kitchen even if you’re not naturally there.

What Makes This Dish Special

Garlic white sauce is basically the foundation of Italian comfort food. It’s silky, it’s garlicky, it’s rich without being heavy if you do it right. The chicken adds protein and substance, the spaghetti gives you that perfect vehicle for the sauce, and somehow the whole thing just works.

The technique here is pretty straightforward. You sear chicken until it’s golden. You build a sauce with garlic, cream, and butter. You toss it all with pasta. Done. But the way each component comes together creates something that feels restaurant-quality on your weeknight table.

This is the kind of dish that teaches you why cooking matters. Fresh garlic instead of powder, real cream instead of shortcuts, proper searing instead of just boiling and hoping—these things make a difference. And once you understand that, you start making other things better too.

What You’ll Actually Need

Let’s talk about what goes into making this. Nothing here is complicated or hard to find. Everything’s pretty standard stuff.

For the chicken part, you’re looking at about 750 grams of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Two big ones or three medium ones work perfectly. You’ll need 4 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil for cooking everything. Have 6 cloves of fresh garlic ready—minced up fine. Salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning to season as you go. Some people like fresh parsley too, so if you’ve got it grab a small handful.

The sauce is where things get interesting. You need 1.5 cups of heavy cream. That’s the star. Also get 1 cup of chicken broth, 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of cream cheese for extra richness, 2 cloves of garlic minced separately for the sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you like a tiny bit of heat. You’ll also want 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in case you need your sauce thicker.

To finish everything, grab 1 pound of spaghetti, salt for your pasta water, extra Parmesan for the top, and fresh parsley if you picked some up.

How to Actually Make This Thing

Get Your Foundations Ready

Start by filling a large pot about three-quarters full with water. Add a good handful of salt to it—enough that it tastes noticeably salty, like the ocean. Put it on high heat. You want this boiling before you start cooking anything else. This takes a few minutes so get it going first.

Prepare Your Chicken

While your water’s heating, take your chicken breasts and pat them completely dry with paper towels. Moisture is the enemy of browning, so don’t skip this. You want them as dry as possible.

Grab a meat mallet or even a rolling pin.

Put one chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound it gently until it’s about half an inch thick. The goal is to get them all the same thickness so they cook evenly. Do this for all of them. They should look pretty flat now, ready to sear.

Season both sides with salt, pepper, and your Italian seasoning. Put them on a plate and leave them for now.

Get Your Chicken Golden

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Wait for it to get hot—you’ll see it shimmer and smell nutty. This is the temperature you want.

Put your chicken breasts in the pan. And here’s the thing you absolutely have to remember: don’t move them around. Let them sit there. Just sit. For about 5 to 6 minutes. You want that beautiful golden-brown crust to form on the bottom. That crust is flavor.

After 5 to 6 minutes, flip them over. Cook the other side for 4 to 5 minutes. They’re done when they’re white all the way through with no pink, or when a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Transfer them to a cutting board and let them rest for a couple minutes. This keeps them from drying out.

Add Your Spaghetti to the Water

Remember that boiling water from the beginning? Now’s the time. Dump your spaghetti in there. Give it a quick stir so the noodles don’t stick together. It’ll take about 9 to 10 minutes to cook. You want it al dente—soft but still with a little firmness when you bite it.

Build Your Garlic Sauce

In the same skillet you used for the chicken (don’t wash it—those brown bits have flavor), reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Let it melt.

Add your 6 cloves of minced garlic all at once. Here’s where it gets important: cook it for just about 1 minute. Don’t let it brown. You want it fragrant but not burned. Burned garlic tastes bitter and ruins everything.

Create Your Cream Sauce Magic

Now add your heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir everything together. Let it simmer gently for about 2 to 3 minutes. You’ll see it thicken as it reduces.

Add your cream cheese, Parmesan, the 2 minced garlic cloves, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes if you’re using them. Stir it all together until the cheeses melt and everything’s smooth.

If you feel like it needs to be thicker, mix your cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until it’s smooth, then stir that in. Let it bubble for another minute and it’ll thicken up.

Taste it. Seriously. Add more salt if you need it. Add more pepper if you need it. Make it taste exactly how you want it to taste.

Put Everything Together

Your spaghetti should be done by now. Before you drain it, save about 1.5 cups of that starchy pasta water. This water is actually useful—it helps the sauce coat the pasta better.

Slice your rested chicken into bite-sized pieces or strips.

Add your drained spaghetti directly into the cream sauce. Add the sliced chicken too. Mix everything together gently but thoroughly. Every strand of spaghetti should get coated with that creamy garlic sauce.

If it looks too thick, add a splash of that pasta water. Keep adding it until it reaches the right consistency—creamy and coating the pasta, but not soupy.

Serve It

Put it on plates or in bowls. Top with fresh parsley if you’ve got it. Shower it with extra Parmesan. Eat it hot.

Things That Actually Matter When You’re Cooking This

Don’t skip drying the chicken. Moisture prevents browning and you want that golden crust because that’s where the flavor comes from. Use paper towels and take your time with it.

Don’t move the chicken while it’s searing. I know you’re nervous. You think it’s gonna burn. It won’t. Just leave it in the hot pan. The browning is what makes it taste good.

Garlic burns really easily. When you’re cooking it, pay attention. About a minute is all you need. If it starts to turn brown, you’ve gone too far. Burned garlic tastes bad and there’s no fixing it.

Those brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan are not burnt food. They’re concentrated flavor. Scrape them into your sauce. That’s where the depth comes from.

Save your pasta water. The starch in it helps the sauce stick to the pasta better. It’s not just for thinning—it actually helps everything come together. Professional cooks do this for a reason.

Use real heavy cream. Not the fake stuff. The quality of your cream directly affects how the sauce tastes. It should be thick and rich.

Keep your sauce on medium heat. High heat can cause cream to do weird things. Gentle heat keeps everything smooth and luxurious.

Let your chicken rest after cooking. Those 2 minutes let the juices redistribute through the meat. It keeps things moist. Don’t skip it.

Taste constantly. Don’t wait until it’s done. Taste and fix it as you go. That’s how you get better flavor.

Fresh garlic is worth it. Garlic powder has its place but fresh garlic in a cream sauce is just better. It’s worth the extra minute to mince it.

Easy Creamy Chicken Spaghetti with Garlic White Sauce

Creamy chicken spaghetti in silky garlic‑Parmesan white sauce, tossed with tender chicken and spaghetti for an easy, indulgent weeknight meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Equipment

• 1 large pot (for pasta)
• 1 large skillet or frying pan (10-12 inches)
• 1 cutting board
• 1 meat mallet or rolling pin
• Paper towels
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• whisk
• Meat thermometer (optional but helpful)
• Colander or pasta strainer
• Serving bowls or plates
• Tongs or pasta fork

Ingredients

  

• 750 g boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 cloves fresh garlic minced (divided: 6 for initial cooking, 2 for sauce)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp cream cheese
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
• 1 tbsp cornstarch optional, for thicker sauce
• 1 lb spaghetti pasta
• Fresh parsley for garnish
• Extra Parmesan for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Boil salted water in a large pot. Pat chicken dry, pound to even thickness (1/2 inch), and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
• 2. Heat 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden. Rest for 2 minutes, then slice.
• 3. Add spaghetti to boiling water. Cook 9-10 minutes until al dente. Save 1.5 cups pasta water before draining.
• 4. In same skillet, melt remaining 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add 6 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant (don't brown).
• 5. Add chicken broth and heavy cream. Simmer 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken.
• 6. Stir in cream cheese, Parmesan, 2 minced garlic cloves, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Mix until smooth. Add cornstarch slurry if extra thickness needed.
• 7. Add drained spaghetti and sliced chicken to the sauce. Toss to coat evenly. Add pasta water as needed for consistency.
• 8. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

Keyword chicken spaghetti, creamy chicken spaghetti, garlic white sauce, italian pasta recipe, spaghetti

Ways to Change This Up

There’s a lot of flexibility with this recipe if you want to make it your own. The base is solid but you can definitely play around.

If you want to add vegetables, spinach is the obvious choice. Just throw a big handful in at the end and let it wilt into the sauce. Sun-dried tomatoes work too—they add a little color and tanginess. Mushrooms are classic with cream sauces. Slice them and cook them in the pan before you start everything else.

You can make it spicier by adding more red pepper flakes or even some fresh chili if you’ve got it. Some people love a little heat with creamy sauces.

If you want it richer, add an extra tablespoon or two of Parmesan. If you want it less heavy, go with the Greek yogurt substitution we mentioned in the questions.

Herbs can change things too. Try fresh basil instead of parsley for garnish. Or add some fresh thyme to the sauce. Oregano works if that’s what you’ve got.

You can use different proteins. Shrimp cooks super fast—just 2 to 3 minutes per side. Turkey works exactly like chicken. Even white fish works if you’re looking for something lighter. Just adjust cooking times.

Add seafood if you want—prawns, scallops, even white fish. The sauce works with all of it.

Different pastas change how it feels. Fettuccine is wider and holds sauce differently than spaghetti. Penne has ridges that catch sauce. Linguine is thinner and more delicate. Pick whatever you like.

You could make it a baked version by tossing everything in a baking dish, topping with breadcrumbs and Parmesan, and baking it at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Totally different vibe but also delicious.

If you want it dairy-free, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan. It’s different but still good.

You can prep this as a make-ahead meal. Do all the cooking in advance, store it in the fridge, and reheat gently on the stove when you’re ready. Just add a splash of cream or broth when reheating.

Why You Should Actually Make This

This is a recipe that works because each part is handled right. Nothing’s overcomplicating it. It’s just solid technique with decent ingredients.

The chicken gets a proper sear so it’s flavorful and juicy. The garlic sauce is smooth and silky. The spaghetti is cooked to the right texture. Everything works together.

Make this when you want food that tastes like you actually thought about what you were doing. It’s the kind of thing that feels special but doesn’t take forever. It’s reliable and it tastes really good.

It’s the kind of dinner that doesn’t feel like an ordinary weeknight dinner. It feels like something worth making and worth eating.