Description
Creamy Garlic Chicken Bowls are a delicious and hearty meal featuring tender chicken cooked in a rich garlic tomato cream sauce, served over a base of quinoa or rice and pasta. This comforting dish combines bold flavors with creamy textures, garnished with fresh cilantro, avocado, and lime for a refreshing finish. Perfect for a family dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (Rotel), undrained
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Base and Garnishes
- 1 lb pasta of your choice (penne, rotini, or farfalle work well)
- 1 cup cooked quinoa or rice
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 avocado, diced
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pat chicken cubes dry using paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper to enhance flavor.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Onions: In the same skillet, add chopped onion and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant to deepen the sauce flavor.
- Add Tomatoes: Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes and the can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel). Stir well to combine.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Add chicken broth, heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, chopped fresh parsley, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer Sauce: Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes until it thickens to a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Reintroduce Chicken: Stir the cooked chicken back into the sauce, heating through for a couple of minutes to meld flavors.
- Cook Pasta: While the sauce simmers, cook your choice of pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
- Assemble Base: Start building the bowls by placing cooked quinoa or rice at the bottom.
- Add Pasta: Layer the cooked pasta over the quinoa or rice base evenly.
- Add Sauce and Chicken: Generously spoon the creamy garlic chicken sauce over the pasta and grain base.
- Garnish: Top each bowl with chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice for brightness and freshness.
- Serve: Serve the bowls immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently before serving.
Notes
- Use any short pasta like penne, rotini, or farfalle for best texture and sauce coverage.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to taste for more or less heat.
- Substitute quinoa with brown rice or white rice as preferred.
- Leftover bowls can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently on stovetop or in microwave to avoid curdling the cream sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: creamy garlic chicken, chicken pasta bowls, easy weeknight dinner, creamy tomato chicken, healthy chicken dinner
