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Parmesan Garlic Crusted Chicken with Garlic Alfredo shells is the most creamy and delicious homemade garlic alfredo shells topped with crispy parmesan-coated garlic chicken. This is an absolutely fantastic meal that will instantly become a family favorite!

I just cannot get enough of the alfredo sauce and chicken combo!  For more of the amazing cream sauce paired with tender chicken try One Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta or Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Shells.

parmesan garlic crusted chicken with creamy garlic alfredo shells on a white plate.

Parmesan Garlic Crusted Chicken with Garlic Alfredo Shells

There are some recipes that I get so excited about sharing with you. This recipe is one of them! I took some of my favorite things from some of my best recipes on the blog, combined it in this dish, and the result was incredible!  First, I started with my favorite alfredo sauce base. It is the creamiest most delicious homemade alfredo sauce that you will make!  Then, I added some minced garlic which added some garlic flavor to it. It tasted just like it came out of a restaurant! So creamy and delicious.

Then I chose shells for my pasta because my kids love them, and let me tell you, the garlic alfredo sauce coated them perfectly! Oh my goodness. These were so yummy!  But then it got even better when I added the crispy parmesan garlic chicken on top. The chicken gets dipped in a buttery garlic and then coated in a crispy parmesan garlic coating.  It is phenomenal!   On top of the unbelievably amazing flavor, it was also super easy to make!    Doesn’t that sound amazing?!  Trust me and go try it yourself! You will thank me later!

Parmesan Garlic Crusted Chicken with Shells Ingredients:

The crispy coating on the outside goes so perfectly with these garlic alfredo shells. The crispy outside flaked over the shells and added such AMAZING flavor! As soon as my family had the first bite they couldn’t believe how good it was!

  • Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless works great, or try chicken tender strips (I used tenders)
  • Butter: Melted to dip the chicken in before adding crispy coating.
  • Garlic powder: The garlic powder will be added into the melted butter and act as a glue to hold coating on the chicken.
  • Bread crumbs: The bread crumbs will coat the outside of the chicken to give it a crispy skin.
  • Parmesan cheese: Shredded and mixed together with spices and bread crumbs to add nutty flavor.
  • Oregano and Parsley: These great spices give an Italian seasoning to the chicken.

Creamy Garlic Alfredo Shells:

  • Pasta shells: Choose your favorite type of pasta.
  • Heavy whipping cream: Thins out the sauce and adds sweetness.
  • Cream cheese: Softened thoroughly so that it will easily melt into sauce and not leave small white pieces in your sauce.
  • Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated will give you the best flavor and will melt into the sauce seamlessly
  • Garlic powder: The more garlic flavor the better!
  • Garlic: Finely minced so you get that fantastic garlic taste.
  • Salt and pepper: To taste!
  • Parsley: Beautiful colorful garnish

Let’s Get Cooking!

Before choosing a recipe to cook for my family I always scroll directly to the instructions to see how complicated it is.  I don’t have time for fussy, hard to understand recipes.  That’s why I know this is going to be one I’ll make often! I love how simple it is to follow and how hard it is to mess up!

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a shallow bowl combine melted butter and garlic powder. In another shallow bowl combine bread crumbs, shredded parmesan cheese, oregano, and parsley.
  2. Coat the Chicken: Dip the chicken into the melted butter and then coat in the bread crumb mixture.
  3. Bake Chicken: Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked throughout and no longer pink.
  4. Cook pasta: Follow package directions to cook the pasta shells until al dente.
  5. Saute Sauce: In a large saucepan cook the heavy cream and cream cheese together until smooth and cream cheese has melted. Add garlic powder, minced garlic, pepper, and salt. Lastly, whisk in the parmesan cheese. Continue to cook over medium heat until heated throughout. Add the cooked pasta shells and toss until coated.
  6. Serve immediately with parmesan garlic chicken chopped on top. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Wooden spoon stirring creamy shells in a pan.

Easy Options for Parmesan Garlic Chicken and Alfredo:

No recipe is complete without those extra suggestions at the end, right? Hear me when I say, if you change nothing in this recipe you will have a hit on your hands! However, if you are in need of some variations here are some great ideas.

  • Low Carb: Swap out the pasta for mashed cauliflower or a zucchini noodle.
  • Breading: Panko breading is a Japanese bread crumb that would be fantastic on this chicken.  Also consider using crushed Ritz crackers for a buttery crumb coat.
  • Cheese: Asiago cheese would also be amazing in this cream sauce.  Really any cheese you love that is freshly grated and melts easily would be great! I just prefer the taste of the Parmesan in mine.
  • Serve with: I love to serve this meal with a Caesar salad and asparagus.  It makes for an impressive and completely delicious meal!

Scooping a spoonful of creamy garlic noodles and chicken out of a white bowl.

How to Store Leftover Chicken and Shells:

The best method when handling the leftovers for this meal is to store the sauce separate from the pasta and chicken.  Allow them to each cool completely.  Then, place separately in freezer safe airtight containers.

  • Parmesan Chicken: When properly stored, the chicken will last in the refrigerator 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
  • Alfredo sauce: After properly storing this delicious sauce will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
  • Reheating Alfredo Sauce: When reheating from frozen, allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then stir well in a stovetop pan and adding more water or cream sauce as needed to keep the sauce from separating.  Do not overheat the sauce.

creamy garlic alfredo on a white plate.

More Crave-Worthy Parmesan Chicken Recipes:

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Parmesan Garlic Crusted Chicken with Garlic Alfredo Shells

5 from 1 vote
By: Alyssa Rivers
The most creamy and delicious homemade garlic alfredo shells topped with crispy parmesan garlic chicken.  This is an absolutely fantastic meal that will instantly become a family favorite!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 Chicken Pieces

Ingredients 

Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken:

Creamy Garlic Alfredo Shells:

Instructions 

Parmesan Garlic Crusted Chicken:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a shallow bowl combine melted butter and garlic powder. In another shallow bowl combine bread crumbs, shredded parmesan cheese, oregano, and parsley.
  • Dip the chicken into the melted butter and then coat in the bread crumb mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked throughout and no longer pink.

Cooking Garlic Alfredo Shells:

  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta shells until al dente. In a large saucepan cook the heavy cream and cream cheese together until smooth and cream cheese has melted. Add garlic powder, minced garlic, pepper, and salt.
  • Lastly, whisk in the parmesan cheese. Continue to cook over medium heat until heated throughout. Add the cooked pasta shells and toss until coated.
  • Serve immediately with parmesan garlic chicken chopped on top. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Updated on June 9, 2020
Originally Posted on May 11, 2015

Nutrition

Calories: 738kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 62gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 238mgSodium: 834mgPotassium: 1014mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1125IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 276mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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28 Comments

  1. We all thought the sauce was really thick and heavy, and too cream cheesy. Loved the chicken dipped in butter and breaded! It turned out great in 18 minutes at 425.

  2. Alyssa –

    This was absolutely delicious! Definitely the best alfredo I’ve had. This dish is on my list of favorite meals. Thanks so much!

  3. Alyssa,
    I combined this wonderful chicken recipe with your recipe for “the best homemade alfredo sauce ever” and fettuccini; it was OUT OF THIS WORLD PHENOMENAL!! Thank you so much for a couple wonderful recipes that my boyfriend really loved! It will now be a part of my recipe rotation. So glad to have found your site!

  4. Seriously the best alfredo sauce ever! My husband asked me to make this every week forever, and he’s not even a pasta lover! I can’t wait to make it again tonight.

  5. So delish! This is now a favorite in my house! I’ve made it exactly by the recipe about 4 times now! Once again tonight! 🙂

  6. I am planning to make this for a potluck for lots of ppl on Saturday, which obviously means I’ll need to multiply each of the ingredients by quite a bit. is there any reason why this dish wouldn’t translate well with increasing the amount of the ingredients?

  7. I used two chicken breasts, cut them into tenders, and increased the pasta and sauce by 30%. IMO I think the pasta & sauce could be doubled for this recipe. The sauce tastes great for how simple it is to make. The chicken though was really soggy on the bottom, and I even used a rack on my baking sheet. I think I would prefer the traditional Kellogg’s cornflake recipe for coating the chicken, and will do that next time. Overall, a quick weeknight meal!

  8. This recipe was absolutely amazing.
    I had to double the recipe to feed a family of six. I used a block of parmesan cheese and I shredded it for the breading and then I use the grated Parmesan cheese for the sauce.
    I would not recommend cooking this at 425 I cook my chicken at 375 for 45 minutes and then another 15 minutes at 350 to prevent burning the top.
    It’s pretty easy and tastes delish. Two thumbs up from my picky eater who is 7. Make and enjoy! ???

  9. I plan to make it this week. Just one question…..do you use fresh or dried herbs for the chicken coating?

  10. We tried this the other night and absolutely loved it!! So much flavor in so little ingredients. It was also so easy. It’s become our favorite!

  11. This dish looks delicious! Just a couple of questions – Could you tell me approximately how much of the boneless skinless chicken breasts (in lbs.) to use – it seems that 4 of these breasts would yield more that 6 chicken tenders? Also, the shredded parmesan cheese that is used for the chicken coating – is that the fresh kind sold in a block? and the grated Parmesan cheese that is used in the Alfredo sauce – is that the Kraft kind in the green canister or the fresh kind? Thank you!

  12. I would love to try a big plate of this Alyssa with extra pasta please ! 🙂 You probably made this perfectly tasty

  13. I’m literally sitting here, swooning over these pictures! This needs to go on our menu plan ASAP!