Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into strips
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - Sprinkle of Italian seasoning, about 1 tsp
04 - Salt, eyeball it
05 - Cracked black pepper, to taste

→ Pasta and Sauce

06 - 340g spiral pasta (like fusilli or rotini)
07 - 4 tbsp butter, keep them apart
08 - 4 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
09 - Half a teaspoon chilli flakes (if you want heat)
10 - 240 ml heavy cream
11 - 120 ml chicken stock
12 - 150g fresh Parmesan, grated, toss in extra for sprinkling
13 - 120g cream cheese, let it get soft
14 - 100g mozzarella, shredded
15 - Handful fresh parsley, chopped up to finish
16 - 120 ml pasta water you saved

# Instructions:

01 - Kill the heat. Throw on your parsley and a shower of Parmesan, if you fancy. Dish it up hot and enjoy right away.
02 - Toss chicken and any tasty juices into the pan. Add your drained pasta. Give everything a solid stir so all gets coated in the sauce. Warm it together for 2 or 3 minutes to let the flavors mix and the pasta heat up.
03 - Dial the heat to low. Sprinkle in the Parmesan bit by bit and keep stirring so it melts in. Mix the cream cheese in until the mix's smooth, then add mozzarella. If your sauce gets too thick, loosen it up with some of that saved pasta water.
04 - Tip in the chicken stock and heavy cream. Stir as you go, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan. Let it bubble gently for three to four minutes to get a bit thicker.
05 - Using the same skillet, lower the heat a little. Drop in 2 tbsp of butter. Once melted, add your chopped garlic and if you’re feeling spicy, the chilli flakes. Stir for a minute or two, just so things smell awesome—don’t let the garlic go brown.
06 - While pasta’s on the go, dust chicken strips with some salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Heat up the olive oil in a big skillet on medium-high. When it’s hot, pile in your chicken. Sear them, turning now and then until golden and cooked through—shoot for 5 or 6 minutes or until they hit 74°C inside. Move chicken to a plate for now.
07 - Get a big pot of water salty and bubbling. Pour in the spiral pasta and cook like it says on the packet till it’s got a little bite, about 8–10 minutes. Before you drain, scoop out 120 ml of the water and hold onto it. Set that pasta aside once drained.

# Notes:

01 - Try tossing in baby spinach or sun-dried tomatoes with your chicken and pasta for even more flavor and some color.
02 - If your sauce thickens up while waiting, splash in more of that saved pasta water to loosen it.
03 - Short on time? Grab pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead and just add it when you mix everything together.
04 - You’ll get a smoother sauce from fresh grated cheese, so skip the pre-shredded stuff if you can.

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