You can make this from-scratch chicken Alfredo recipe in just 40 minutes! My version isn’t authentic, but it is creamy and satisfying and makes for a great gourmet-style dinner. It’s also versatile — feel free to add broccoli, swap the chicken for shrimp, or add cream cheese!
Easy Weeknight Chicken Alfredo
An easy dinner option, this chicken Alfredo recipe pairs my Alfredo sauce and fettuccini Alfredo with chicken for a complete meal with plenty of protein. It’s indulgent and perfectly creamy, making it perfect for nights when you want a more substantial, hearty dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 100% from-scratch, and so easy too! You won’t reach for a jar of store-bought sauce again after making my recipe.
- Perfectly creamy, thanks to heavy cream. No, this isn’t authentic, but it works and is so tasty (I know this will ruffle some feathers but Alfredo is just better with cream)!
- Fast! It takes less than an hour to prepare, so it’s perfect for a weeknight meal. Want to add some greens on the side? Try my roasted brussels sprouts or brussels sprouts salad!
- Can easily be turned into shrimp Alfredo by swapping the chicken for shrimp. And feel free to toss in some blanched/steamed broccoli too.
What You Need
Let’s discuss the inner workings (ie. ingredients) of this recipe before we dive in.
- Garlic. In the past I’ve often reached for a shallot when making Alfredo sauce. You can use that here if you prefer, but something about chicken Alfredo just works really well with the more intense flavor of minced garlic instead.
- Heavy cream. Cream isn’t a traditional ingredient in authentic Italian Alfredo (I know, I know), but it is in American Alfredo recipes. While traditional Alfredo sauce gets its creaminess from high-quality parmesan, many stores in the US do not carry this same quality of cheese. Using heavy cream is the solution! I’ve found that cream also safeguards the sauce from breaking, which is a great added benefit.
- Parmesan. Freshly grated parmesan cheese, rather than pre-shredded is key. Pre-shredded varieties (especially that one sold in the plastic green canister — stay away from that!) often include anti-caking agents, which can keep the cheese from melting properly and the sauce won’t be as smooth as it should be. If you’ve made my easy mac and cheese before, you know I am a big advocate for grating your own cheese!
- Nutmeg. I know this may seem like an odd addition, but just a tiny pinch of nutmeg balances the flavor of chicken Alfredo and keeps it from being too rich. I use this spice in my poultry seasoning and meatballs too!
SAM’S TIP: While I don’t include it here, I do include instructions for adding cream cheese to Alfredo sauce in my standalone Alfredo sauce recipe, and those instructions apply here, too (just cut 2 oz of cream cheese into small cubes and add into the sauce with the parmesan). This isn’t traditional by any stretch, but it does add a lovely richness to the sauce that we enjoy from time to time!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Chicken Alfredo
Sear the Chicken
- Sear the seasoned chicken in olive oil in a hot skillet until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil while you prepare your sauce.
Saute the Garlic
- Add the butter to your pan, and once melted, add the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds–don’t let it burn!
Add the Cream
- Whisk in the cream until incorporated. Keep cooking (and whisking) until the sauce starts to thicken. This usually takes about 5 minutes. Make sure you don’t crank up the heat during this time– we don’t want the sauce to boil.
Add the Cheese
- Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Taste test; if your sauce is bland, add more salt, pepper, or nutmeg as needed.
Toss the Noodles
- Add the cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water. Toss until the sauce starts to cling to the noodles. Finish by adding the chicken and parsley, and enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: If you plan to have leftovers, make sure you save some of your pasta water too! This will help the sauce come back together when you reheat it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Heavy cream is an essential ingredient in my chicken Alfredo recipe, so I don’t have any suggestions on how to make this recipe without it. I talk more about my choice to use heavy cream in the ingredients section above.
Sure! You can add some steamed or blanched broccoli when you add the chicken, or toss it with the sauce when you add the noodles. You can even cook your broccoli in the same water you cook your pasta in, if you like.
I don’t recommend freezing many pasta dishes as they don’t tend to thaw very well, and due to the finicky reheating abilities of Alfredo I really don’t recommend it here. You could try freezing just the sauce, but know it may separate as it thaws. This dish really is best when enjoyed right away.
Pairing suggestions
Between the pasta and chicken, this is really a complete meal on its own (especially if you toss some broccoli into the dish. However, to round things out even more, add a green side-salad or caprese salad to the side, serve bruschetta or tapenade as an appetizer, and definitely, always serve with a side of bread. Homemade breadsticks or crusty sourdough bread or artisan bread are great for sopping up any leftover sauce on your plate 😋
Enjoy!
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Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz (226 g) linguine pasta or preferred cut of noodle
- 1 lb (453 g) chicken breast
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
For the Alfredo Sauce
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ cups (354 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (55 g) grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Parsley for garnish optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Prepare the noodles: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and, once boiling, cook pasta according to package instructions. Begin preparing chicken while pasta cooks. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Set pasta aside and keep warm.8 oz (226 g) linguine pasta
- Cook the chicken: Season chicken all over with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.1 lb (453 g) chicken breast, Salt and pepper
- Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering. Add chicken, searing on each side (about 3-4 minutes per side, chicken should be golden brown). Once cooked through (internal temperature of chicken should be 165F/74C), remove to a plate and cover plate with foil to keep warm.2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Make the Alfredo sauce: Wipe out pan if needed. Add the butter to the pan and heat over medium-heat until melted.6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic
- Slowly whisk in cream until combined, then cook, continuing to whisk (don’t allow it to boil) until sauce is beginning to thicken (about 5 minutes).1 ½ cups (354 ml) heavy cream
- Add parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and stir until cheese is melted. Stir until thoroughly combined. Taste-test and add additional spices if needed.1 cup (55 g) grated parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon table salt, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, Pinch of nutmeg
- Add pasta to the sauce along with a splash (about 2-4 Tablespoons) of the reserved pasta water. Stir well and cook over low heat, stirring, until sauce clings to the noodles. Return chicken to the pan.
- Serve warm, topped with fresh parsley for garnish, if desired.Parsley for garnish
Notes
Storing/reheating notes
Chicken Alfredo is best served immediately and doesn’t store well as the sauce becomes quite thick and doesn’t reheat well. Your best option for reheating is to do so in a saucepan over low heat (I’ll usually save my reserved pasta water and add a few splashes of this to the sauce as well) or to reheat covered with foil in a 350F (175C) oven. Stir well before serving.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Jei
this was so simple and so good.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jei!☺️
Nancy Yoshimoto
I made this last night with shrimp because that’s what I had. Your recipe is fabulous! I added some fresh diced tomatoes which bumped up the umami. Thank you for sharing your recipe; no more bottled alfredo sauce!!! Mahalo!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Nancy! 🙂
Reina
Can this recipe be doubled?
Sam
Sure thing! 🙂