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This Chicken Alfredo Recipe includes juicy, seasoned pan-seared chicken breasts and tender pasta, tossed in a rich, creamy, and comforting Parmesan cream sauce. It’s a super easy family dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes or less!
This Chicken Alfredo recipe is filling, flavorful, and my absolute favorite. It combines my rich and creamy homemade Alfredo sauce with perfectly cooked pasta, and juicy, golden pan-fried chicken breasts. It’s a classic family dinner that’s easy to make with simple, budget-friendly ingredients.
In this post, you’ll find suggested substitutions, optional additions, and my top tips for making the most delicious chicken Alfredo from the comfort of your kitchen!
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
Below are notes and possible substitutions for the ingredients in this Chicken Alfredo Recipe. You can find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Chicken: If you prefer dark meat, you can swap breast meat chicken thighs. Depending on the size and thickness of your chicken, you may want to consider baking them in the oven. For more information, check out my posts on baked chicken breasts and baked chicken thighs. For a different protein altogether, try my shrimp Alfredo recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour: The flour cooks together with butter to make a Roux, a flavorful thickening agent. If you prefer a thinner sauce, omit the flour. The sauce will thicken naturally after the pasta is added.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: For a lighter sauce, swap the heavy cream for half-and-half or use a 1:1 ratio of heavy whipping cream with whole milk to make a homemade half-and-half. I do not recommend making this dish with anything lower in fat, as the sauce is more likely to separate.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Use Pecorino Romano instead of Parmigiano Reggiano for a strong, salty kick.
- Fettuccine Pasta: Although fettuccine is the traditional choice, this recipe can be made with any type of pasta. Tube-shaped pasta like bucatini and penne are especially good at trapping extra sauce in their hollow tubes.
Optional Additions
For added flavor, consider mixing in crispy air fryer bacon or pancetta, or try Italian sausage for a bold, savory kick. Season the chicken with homemade blackening seasoning and instantly transform this dish into my blackened chicken Alfredo.
When it comes to vegetables, frozen, thawed peas are my favorite, as they add a touch of sweetness and texture, although blanched broccoli is a close second. Try sprinkling with a little goat cheese or feta just before serving for a fun, tangy finish.
How to Make Chicken Alfredo
Perfect for busy weeknights, this delicious chicken Alfredo recipe is easy to make. Be sure to check out all my tips in the section below! Or, check out the detailed recipe instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Start by pounding the chicken to equal thickness, or slice each chicken breast in half to make two thinly sliced chicken cutlets.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- Sear the chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat with a combination of olive oil and melted butter. Cook until the internal temperature registers 160-165℉ as measured by a digital meat thermometer.
- In the meantime, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Cook until al dente, about 8-12 minutes. Reserve at least 2 cups of the pasta water, then drain and set aside. Do not rinse with water or coat the pasta in oil.
- Return the skillet to medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- To make the roux (optional) whisk 1-2 tablespoons of flour plus a pinch of salt and pepper into the melted butter. Whisk continuously until it turns a light golden color.
- Slowly add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Whisk in the freshly grated parmesan cheese. If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water a little at a time.
- Stir in the drained pasta and toss to coat. Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Slice the cooked chicken into thin strips and serve it directly over the creamy pasta.
How to Make Perfect Chicken Alfredo
Cooking Tips
Here’s a rundown of my top tips for the best chicken Alfredo recipe:
- Use a digital meat thermometer to avoid dry, overcooked chicken. Cook it to 160°F and then let it rest before serving (it will continue to cook about 5°F as it rests).
- Reserve at least 2 cups of pasta water. The reserved pasta water contains salt, starch, and flavor. Use it if your sauce is too thick or it needs a little seasoning. Starchy pasta water also helps stabilize cream-based sauces, preventing it from curdling.
- Use freshly blended or grated Parmesan for the best melting and blending. Pre-shredded stuff is more likely to result in a grainy sauce. Blend it in a high-speed blender or grate it on a microplane grater.
- Start cooking the pasta a few minutes after you start cooking the chicken. The chicken and pasta should take about the same amount of time to cook (depending on the thickness of your chicken). I like to start cooking my chicken and then after a few minutes add the pasta to a large pot of salted boiling water. This way the pasta doesn’t sit for very long before being added to the sauce.
- Do not rinse cooked pasta noodles. Rinsing not only removes starches that help the creamy Alfredo sauce cling to the noodles, but it also cools the pasta down. Avoid rinsing. Also, do not toss your pasta in olive oil to prevent it from sticking. Doing so also prevents the Alfredo sauce from sticking to the pasta.
- Avoid boiling the Alfredo sauce. Boiling cream-based sauces and soups may cause them to break (separate or curdle) because high heat causes fat and water to separate. Low-fat dairy (such as 2% milk or lower) separates more quickly than heavy cream due to its lower fat content.
Serving Ideas
I enjoy balancing the creamy richness of the Alfredo sauce with a vegetable side dish, such as sautéed zucchini, air fryer Brussels sprouts, or roasted asparagus. It would also be delicious with any of these simple salad recipes this House Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, or my Cherry Tomato Salad. Of course, breadsticks are always welcome.
Storage Tips
Make-Ahead: Although the chicken can be made up to 2 days ahead, I don’t recommend it personally. This dish is best served immediately.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Stir in a little water, cream, or pasta water to loosen the sauce as it will have likely thickened.
More Creamy Alfredo Recipes
If you make this chicken Alfredo recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment section below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more delicious food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, (approx. 3 chicken breasts)
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 6 tablespoon butter, salted or unsalted, divided
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, see notes
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta, cooked to al dente
Instructions
- Pound the chicken breasts to equal thickness. Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Pound the thick side of each chicken breast with a meat mallet until it is about as thick as the thin side. Note: Skip this step if you're baking the chicken in the oven.
- Season. Remove the chicken from the plastic and pat it dry with paper towels—season with Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and paprika.
- Heat the oil and butter and add the chicken. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. After the butter has melted, swirl the pan to redistribute the oil. Add the chicken and let it cook for 5-6 minutes, undisturbed, until the bottom is golden brown.
- Cook the chicken to 160℉. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 160-165℉ as measured by a digital thermometer. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove to a clean cutting board, cover with foil, and let it rest until serving.
- Cook the pasta, reserve the cooking water, and drain. In the meantime, bring a large pot of (generously salted) water to a boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1-2 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Melt the remaining butter and add the garlic. In the same skillet, melt the rest of the butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.Optional: For a little extra flavor, deglaze the skillet with a splash of dry white wine before adding the garlic.
- Make a roux (optional). If you prefer a thicker Alfredo sauce, whisk 1-2 tablespoons of flour (max!), ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, into the butter. Whisk continuously until it turns a light golden color.
- Add the heavy cream. Stirring continuously, slowly add the heavy cream. Simmer gently over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the Parmesan cheese. Stir in the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Whisk continuously until the cheese has melted into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water, a few tablespoons at a time.
- Add the drained pasta. Add the drained fettuccine pasta and toss to coat in the sauce. Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Slice the chicken, garnish, and serve. Slice the chicken into thin strips and serve it directly over the pasta or divided among serving bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, additional Parmesan, a splash of lemon juice, and black pepper, if dresired.
Notes
- Chicken: Swap breast meat for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Optional additions include, crispy bacon or pancetta, Italian sausage, or salmon.
- Herbs & Seasoning: For a different flavor profile, try seasoning the chicken with onion or garlic powder (about a 1/2 teaspoon of each), Homemade Cajun Seasoning (about 1-2 teaspoons), or homemade ranch seasoning (about 1-2 teaspoons).
- All-Purpose Flour: If you prefer a thinner sauce, omit the flour. The sauce will thicken naturally after the pasta is added.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: For a lighter sauce, swap the heavy cream for half-and-half or use a 1:1 ratio of heavy whipping cream with whole milk to make a homemade half-and-half.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Use Pecorino Romano for a strong, salty kick. Add a little goat cheese or feta just before serving for a fun, tangy finish.
- Veggies: Frozen, thawed peas are my favorite veggie addition, with blanched broccoli coming in a close second.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So creamy and tasty! My only regret is I didn’t double the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the Chicken Alfredo and found it creamy and delicious! Next time, doubling the recipe sounds like a perfect plan to ensure there’s plenty to go around. Happy cooking!