Ingredients
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, add the 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and set aside for later use.
- In a medium saucepan or deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and just starting to turn golden at the edges, about 2-3 minutes. Do not let it brown — you want sweet garlic, not bitter.
- Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble softly for 5 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. The sauce will thicken slightly as it reduces.
- Add the cubed chicken to the saucepan with the cream mixture. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If you don't have a thermometer, check that the pieces are opaque throughout and no longer pink in the center.
- In the same pot where you'll boil your pasta, add water if needed so there's enough to cook the bowties comfortably. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook the farfalle according to package directions until al dente — it should still have a slight bite when you taste one. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water before draining.
- Once the chicken is done, turn off the heat under the cream mixture and stir in the Parmesan cheese gradually, adding about a quarter cup at a time and whisking until smooth. If the sauce looks too thick, add a splash (2-3 tablespoons) of the reserved pasta water. The sauce should coat a spoon without running off immediately.
- Add the drained bowtie pasta directly to the cream mixture. Toss gently with tongs so every piece gets coated. If it seems dry or clumpy, add more pasta water one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Season generously with salt and white pepper — taste before adding more because both the Parmesan and chicken will have contributed their own salinity.
- Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan on top and a sprinkle of fresh parsley if you have it. The dish is best eaten right away, but leftovers hold up well enough in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Notes
I've made this about forty times since then. It's one of those dishes that works whether you're feeding people or just yourself and want dinner without thinking too hard about it. The sauce stays creamy even if it sits for a few minutes, which happens more often than I'd like to admit when I'm checking emails at the same time.
If there's one thing I've learned, it's to save a ladle of pasta water before you drain the bowties. Stirring that starchy liquid back into the sauce gives it body without any heavy cream trickery. It makes the dish feel more intentional and helps everything cling together properly.