Description
A comforting dish featuring garlic butter chicken bites and creamy four-cheese rotini, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 0.5 cup chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 0.75 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 0.5 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 0.5 cup shredded provolone cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the rotini pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Season the bite-sized chicken pieces with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken bites, cooking for 3–4 minutes per side until golden-brown. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, melt the remaining butter and add the minced garlic, cooking for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, bringing it to a gentle simmer.
- Mix in the cream cheese, stirring until smooth. Gradually add the Parmesan, mozzarella, cheddar, and provolone cheeses, stirring until fully melted and glossy.
- Toss in the cooked rotini, mixing well until the sauce coats every piece. Add reserved pasta water as needed for desired consistency.
- Fold in the chicken bites and mix until evenly combined.
- Serve immediately while hot, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan on top.
Notes
Pair it with garlic bread or a light side salad for balance.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 23g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 67g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
Keywords: creamy pasta, garlic butter, chicken, weeknight dinner, family recipe