Chicken Alfredo Recipe – Sugar Spun Run

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

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

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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