Garlic Butter Chicken Balls with Creamy Parmesan Pasta
These perfectly seared scallops sit atop a bed of luscious creamy pasta, creating a restaurant-quality dish at home. The scallops have a golden-brown crust while maintaining their tender, sweet interior, complemented by a rich garlic parmesan cream sauce and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
For the Scallops:
- 1 pound large sea scallops U10 or U12
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
For the Creamy Pasta:
- 1 pound fettuccine or penne pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup white wine optional
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Pat scallops completely dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water.
- Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering.
- Sear scallops for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add butter and garlic, sauté until fragrant.
- Add wine if using, simmer until reduced by half.
- Add cream, bring to simmer, add Parmesan gradually while stirring.
- Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water if needed for consistency.
- Top with seared scallops and garnish with parsley.