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This quick Basil Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Chicken, Prosciutto, and Arugula is that bowl of homemade pasta that tastes like you just picked it up at your favorite restaurant. Lightly breaded parmesan chicken pan-fried until golden and crispy. The chicken is served over a big bowl of creamy basil and parmesan pasta. Each bowl is finished with warm prosciutto and lemon tossed arugula. Every bite is layered with creamy basil parmesan sauce, crispy chicken, salty prosciutto, and lemony peppered greens. It’s delicious…especially with an extra sprinkling of parmesan and a squeeze of lemon on top!
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this story before, but when I was a kid we would typically have pasta on Friday nights. My dad would make his usual delicious pasta dish. It was a dinner my mom and I looked forward to every weekend. Sometimes he would switch it up and do a pizza. But the pizzas just didn’t quite live up to his Friday Night Pasta Dishes.
Both my mom and I love pasta, so pasta once a week often wasn’t enough. So sometimes on weeknights, my dad would serve use noodles tossed with butter and basil. Simple, but such a good flavor.
Today’s recipe is a much more exciting version but brings back all those childhood memories…so I especially love it.
Ingredients
- Chicken cutlets or tenders
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Grated parmesan
- Onion powder
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Spaghetti
- Garlic (3 cloves)
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Salted butter
- Fresh basil
- Low sodium chicken broth
- Heavy cream or canned coconut milk
- Cream cheese
- Thinly sliced prosciutto
- Baby arugula
- Juice from one lemon (lemon juice and lemon zest)
- Chopped fresh parsley (love fresh herbs!)
Kitchen Supplies
- Shallow bowl
- Large pot
- Large skillet
- Cutting board
- Pasta bowls
The inspiration…
Funny enough this is yet another pasta dish inspired by the Cheesecake Factory (thanks for your suggestions!), the Bellagio pasta. To refresh your memory, a few weeks ago I shared this southern style creamy parmesan chicken pasta. While I was researching that recipe, I came across a photo of their Bellagio pasta. At the time, I went back and forth about which pasta I should attempt to recreate. In the end, I went with that spicy cajun pasta.
And it was a good idea. That pasta has quickly become everyone’s favorite, and with good reason, it’s delicious. We love a little spicy cajun heat.
BUT this basil parmesan pasta is equally delicious, just very different, probably more Italian-like. This is not quite the same as the Bellagio pasta served up at the Cheesecake Factory. I changed a few things, but it’s similar, and please, please hear me when I say, it’s SO GOOD.
Here are the details…
I like to start with the chicken. Using chicken cutlets or thinly sliced chicken is KEY. You don’t want a cut that’s too thick or it will not evenly cook throughout. If you end up using chicken breasts, be sure to flatten them out between parchment paper.
For the breading, I like to use a mix of Panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. It has just the right amount of cheesy crunch.
Once I have the chicken prepped, I bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and start working on the sauce.
For the sauce, it’s similar to a fettuccine Alfredo sauce, but different, because of the large amounts of basil. There is A LOT of basil, but it’s what makes this pasta so good. To keep the sauce on the lighter side, I use a mix of chicken broth and cream. It’s a little looser than an Alfredo sauce but still creamy and cheesy enough.
I think of it as a light cream sauce with a touch of decadence.
While the sauce is simmering, pan fry the chicken. I kept the chicken simple but when placed atop the creamy sauce? Beyond good.
Once the sauce has simmered, toss in the pasta. I like to use spaghetti or linguine, but really any cut of pasta will do! And that’s it! Well, actually, first I like to warm a little prosciutto in a skillet and mix up a lemony arugula salad to finish.
Be sure to save a cup of salted pasta water to add to the creamy sauce.
Finish it up
Serve the pasta topped with the chicken. Then I like to add warm prosciutto, fresh arugula, and an extra dusting of parmesan…for good measure.
For added spice, consider adding chili flakes.
When all combined together, ’tis a very delicious meal.
The pasta is heavy on the basil with just the right amount of creaminess and cheese. The chicken is perfectly crisp, and when tossed with the pasta…totally delish. The prosciutto adds a nice salty element and the arugula on top keeps everything feeling fresh and light for the spring days ahead.
What I love about this recipe is that it really does look and taste like a dish you’d order out from your favorite Italian spot. But it’s all made at home and in under an hour too.
It’s pretty hard to beat. In fact, my mom’s exact words were as follows…
I LOVEE ? ❤️ it!
PERFECT!!!
?
She’s never this enthusiastic about a recipe unless it’s really, really GOOD. She thinks this is one of my best recipes. So take her word for it and enjoy! Hoping this dish makes for a fun Monday night pasta for you guys! If it doesn’t work for Monday night, be sure to add it to the menu at some point this week! Also, not to mention, great to heat up for leftovers the next day.
Looking for other similar recipes for easy weeknight dinners? Here are a few to try:
One Pan Baked Cheesy Basil Pasta
Southern Style Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken with Lemon Olive Dressing
Lastly, if you make this Basil Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Chicken, Prosciutto, and Arugula be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite! For daily recipe announcements in your inbox, be sure to subscribe to our Half Baked Harvest newsletters on the home page of my blog.
Basil Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Chicken, Prosciutto, and Arugula
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 861 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken cutlets or tenders
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- 2 cups baby arugula
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- 1. Place the Panko, 1/2 cup parmesan, and the onion powder in a shallow bowl. Dredge both sides of the chicken through the Panko, pressing to adhere by using your fist to really make the crumbs stick. Place the chicken on a plate. Set aside.2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.3. To make the sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the garlic together over medium-high heat. Cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the butter and stir in the basil. Add a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook another minute, until the basil is fragrant, then pour in the broth and cream. Add the cream cheese. Whisk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook 5-8 minutes, until thickened slightly.4. To cook the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until golden brown on the other side, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and season with salt. Slice into thin strips. Add the prosciutto to the pan and cook 1 minute to warm through. 5. To the sauce, stir in 1 cup parmesan. Toss in the pasta and cook 3-5 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.6. Toss the arugula with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Divide the pasta between plates and top with slices of chicken, warm prosciutto, and arugula. Twirl and devour…with bread on the side.
This post was originally published on March 15, 2021
Such a great recipes! The flavors just went together so well. Will definitely make this on a regular rotation!
Hi Brittany,
Happy Monday! Thanks for giving this recipe a try, love to hear it turned out well for you! Have the best week:)
My favorite Cheesecake Factory meal is Chicken Bellagio. And this did not disappoint! I added some pesto to the sauce and used a little corn starch to thicken it up. Will definitely be making this again!
Hey Regan,
Wonderful! Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was a winner! Have the best weekend:)
Made this tonight and my 21 year old son said it was a “keeper”! I did follow the recommendation of other reviewers and used half the amount of chicken broth. The recipe called for. I figured I could always add more if needed but did not want to add too much to make the sauce to liquidy. I used half a can of chicken broth and it came out perfect.
Hey Amy,
Happy Tuesday!! Thanks for giving this recipe a try, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you!
This was so good! My whole family loved it and it was quickly devoured. I will make it again soon!
Hey Susan,
Happy Sunday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well! xx
I made this pasta and the sauce was far too loose! Quite disappointed,
Hi Lori,
So sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xx
This is a similar dupe for the chicken bellagio pasta dish at Cheesecake Factory so I was very excited but unfortunately there were major issues with this recipe.
I had the same issues as Loren noted below. The seasoning for the chicken was bland, the panko was not enough to coat the chicken- even upon reading this I thought it was strange it didn’t call for eggs, and the sauce never thickened no matter what I did.
I don’t understand why it called for two cups of chicken broth, I think that was the main issue. No matter how much cheese, cream cheese, and cream I added it remained extremely liquidy.
This recipe seems to have many measurements off it’s a bit strange and I question if these exact measurements were used or just made up.
The flavor was great, but beware this will be a liquidy pasta!
Hi Teresa,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. All of the measurements are correct as written. If there is anything else that I can help with, please let me know! xx
I notice in the basil fettuccine chicken Alfredo the recipe calls for 1 cup broth and 1 cup cream. Perhaps 2 cups broth and 3/4 cup of cream is too much broth?
This was a perfect meal for Valentine’s day for the family! I followed the recipe with one exception of using baby kale versus arugula as i was out. The sauce is very delicate and is balanced well with the crispiness of the chicken and proscuitto. I am looking forward to trying it with the arugula, i imagine that the peppery flavor it gives off will make a great recipe even better.
Hey Tanya,
Happy Sunday! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xx
Delicious! I ended up with quite a bit of the panko mixture leftover… not sure what happened there. Great recipe!
Hey Evelyn,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you giving it a try and your comment! x
That happens to me for a lot of recipes. I’ve started using less to begin with. You can always add more. But I hate throwing away so much if I don’t use it all.
Flavor of the pasta sauce is good..but everything else was bad! The panko doesn’t stick to the chicken, and the parm in the breading cooks faster and sticks to the pan, regardless of how much oil or what temp is used. The chicken by itself is also very bland.
The pasta sauce, while tasty, doesn’t come together well. It never thickened even though I followed the recipe exactly, and the cream cheese remained clumpy and separated.
A lot of work, dirty dishes, and ingredients for a recipe that should still be in the works. This needs to be edited badly.
Hi Loren,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. xx
OMGOODNESS! If you haven’t made this yet, don’t hesitate! This is so so good! Made it for my Christmas dinner. Everyone said “restaurant quality”.
Hi Julie! Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! xT
Hi!
Use your recipes often – but I LOVE this recipe – it is my favorite! Even though I try to mix my menu up a lot, I keep this in rotation at least every other week! I often serve this family style on a platter and I think it looks even prettier than individually!
Hi Rebecca,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for trying it and your comment!🌼🌸 xx
Hi Tieghan
First of all , I love your recipes and make them often ..they’re always a big hit.
I’m planning on making this dish for a small group for dinner. Would you plate this individually or serve it on a large platter? I’m thinking family style would be best but would like your opinion.
Thanks so much for all of your wonderful recipes!
Hi Sally,
Thanks so much for your kind message and making so many recipes! I think this would be great to serve family style! Let me know how it turns out for you, I hope you love it! xT