There’s something about roasted garlic that instantly makes a meal feel special—soft, golden cloves that melt into a sauce so rich and luxurious, it tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant (but comes together right on your stove).

This pasta is simple enough for a weeknight but totally dinner-party-worthy: tender seared chicken, silky spaghetti, and a roasted garlic cream sauce that clings to every strand. It’s like vodka pasta’s cooler friend—made with white wine, just as creamy, but a little lighter and more grown-up.

It’s perfect for date night at home with a glass of wine and candles on the table, or you can easily roast an extra head of garlic and double the recipe to impress a few guests. It looks fancy, tastes indulgent, and is kind of unforgettable.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

• Dinner-party friendly: Comes together in under an hour and is easy to double/triple depending on your group.
• Luxurious sauce: Silky and rich—it clings perfectly to every strand of pasta.
• Roasted garlic: The magic ingredient that takes this pasta from basic to unforgettable.
• Simple ingredients, big flavour: Just pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients come together like something straight off a restaurant menu.

Ingredients for Roasted Garlic Spaghetti with Seared Chicken:

Garlic: A full head (or two if you’re feeling it!) gets roasted until soft and golden, and it’s really the heart of the sauce. Roasting mellows out the sharpness and gives that deep, buttery garlic flavour that makes the pasta so cozy.

Olive oil: Used for roasting the garlic and searing the chicken, about a tablespoon for each.

Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless, and simply seasoned. Go for classic breasts over thin-sliced so that they stay nice and juicy. You could easily swap for chicken thighs if you prefer.

Garlic powder, salt, paprika, oregano: A simple but flavourful mix that seasons the chicken beautifully without overpowering the roasted garlic sauce.

Butter: Adds a silky richness to the base of the sauce and helps the shallots caramelize.

Shallot: Brings subtle sweetness and depth. You can swap for a small yellow onion if needed, but shallots give a softer, more elegant flavour, in my opinion.

Tomato paste: A tablespoon is all you need—it adds savouriness and beautiful colour, and balances out the creamy garlic sauce.

White wine: Deglazes the pan and brings a little acidity to cut through the richness. If you’d rather skip it, replace with extra broth and a small splash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice.

Heavy cream: Creates that lush, glossy, velvety texture. Heavy cream gives the best body, but half & half works if you prefer something lighter.

Parmesan: Use freshly grated if possible—I like grating on a microplane for that feathery texture that melts beautifully. The Parmesan gives the sauce a salty, nutty flavour that ties everything together.

Spaghetti: Classic, simple, and perfect for coating in a creamy sauce. You can use any long pasta—fettuccine, linguine, or bucatini all work well.

Chives or Italian parsley: Adds a pop of freshness at the end. Chives give a light oniony flavour, parsley keeps it herbaceous and bright.

Prep for Roasted Garlic Spaghetti with Seared Chicken:

Roasting the garlic is the step that takes the longest, but it’s worth every minute—once that’s in the oven, the rest comes together quickly with just a bit of prep:

• Slice the top off a head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, and then wrap in tin foil and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Season the chicken with garlic powder, salt, paprika, and oregano while the garlic roasts.
• Mince up a shallot so it’s ready to sauté.
• Chop the chives or Italian parsley for garnish.
• Finely grate the parmesan cheese (I like using a microplane grater for the fluffiest texture).

How to Make Roasted Garlic Spaghetti with Seared Chicken:

Step One:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice off the top ¼” of the head of garlic so that the cloves are exposed, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and wrap in tin foil. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the cloves are soft and slightly golden. Let cool until ready to use.

Step Two:

Pat dry the chicken breasts and season with garlic powder, salt, paprika, and oregano on both sides. Let them rest for 20-30 minutes, while the garlic is roasting.

Step Three:

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sear the chicken breasts on each side for about 3-4 minutes, until cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Remove from the pan and set aside to rest.

Step Four:

While the chicken is searing, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente, then reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Set the al dente spaghetti aside.

Step Five:

Using the same pan you seared the chicken in so you get all of that flavour, reduce the heat to medium-low and melt the butter. Add the minced shallot and sauté for 3–4 minutes, until softened and lightly golden.

Step Six:

Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it deepens in colour, about 2 minutes.

Step Seven:

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves right out of the garlic bulb and into the pan. Stir to combine. Deglaze with the white wine and continue cooking for a few minutes until it has slightly reduced.

Step Eight:

Add in the heavy cream and the parmesan and let this come together over medium heat, stirring gently to combine. Add the al dente spaghetti to the sauce, tossing gently and adding pasta water ¼ cup at a time until the sauce coats the noodles and reaches your desired consistency (you might not use the whole cup of pasta water).

Step Nine:

Once the sauce has come together nicely, slice the chicken breasts into strips.

Step Ten:

Serve the spaghetti into bowls, then top with the sliced chicken and a sprinkle of fresh chives/Italian parsley and some more parmesan, if you’d like.

Substitutions for Roasted Garlic Spaghetti with Seared Chicken:

Chicken: Swap chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you prefer something juicier, or skip the meat entirely and serve the pasta on its own—it’s rich enough to stand alone.

Tomato paste: You can swap in ½ cup crushed tomatoes for a more rustic sauce if you don’t have tomato paste.

White wine: If you’d rather not use wine, extra broth with a small splash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice gives the same brightness.

Cream: Use half & half for a lighter version, or your favourite non-dairy cream alternative to keep it dairy-free.

Parmesan: Swap for Pecorino Romano if you like a saltier bite, or try a vegan parmesan for a dairy-free option.

Pasta: Spaghetti works beautifully, but fettuccine, linguine, or bucatini are all great picks. Short pasta like rigatoni or penne will also hold the sauce well, but I like the long noodles best.

Herbs: Chives or Italian parsley add freshness, but basil would also taste great here—use whatever you have on hand.

How to store Roasted Garlic Spaghetti with Seared Chicken:

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so when reheating, add a splash of water, broth, or cream to loosen it up and bring back that silky texture.

This is for sure going to be my new go-to meal when we’re hosting friends because I’m a little obsessed. If you try it out, tag me on social—@britacooks! xx