Chicken Alfredo

My easy chicken alfredo recipe takes just 30 minutes, a few simple ingredients, and barely any effort to whip up. Cook the chicken breasts until juicy and golden brown, and serve them over pasta tossed with garlicky, creamy homemade alfredo sauce. I retested this recipe and updated the post to help answer a few reader questions I’ve received, like how to fix a broken sauce, how to perfectly cook the pasta, and much more!

A reader, Michelle, says: “I made this last night with a sundried tomato chicken breast. It was delicious, and one of the best Alfredo sauces I’ve ever tasted. This recipe is going into the regular menu rotation. Thank you John!” ★★★★★

Key Ingredients

These are the main ingredients you need to make homemade chicken alfredo. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.

Pasta — you need pasta that’s sturdy enough to hold the thick, creamy sauce. Similar to my fettuccine alfredo recipe, I love using fettuccine pasta to make chicken alfredo. You can also use linguine, penne, pappardelle, or large shells if you already have those in the pantry. Something like angel hair pasta will not work as well, as the noodles are very thin and a bit too delicate for this hearty sauce. You can also level it up by making your own 4-ingredient homemade pasta!

Chicken — boneless, skinless chicken breasts are perfect for this recipe. If the pieces you have are very thick, cut them in half crosswise so they cook faster and more evenly. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you like.

Heavy cream — you can use regular heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, but cream is a must for the velvety sauce. Half-and-half and whole milk have less fat, making a thinner, less velvety sauce.

Butter — unsalted butter adds richness and flavor to the luscious sauce. The added fat also helps the Parmesan cheese emulsify into the sauce so it’s creamy rather than grainy.

Garlic — I firmly believe that garlic makes everything better, and this chicken alfredo recipe is no exception! Fresh minced garlic adds a nutty flavor and an unbelievable savory aroma.

Parmesan cheese — use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated cheese will melt a lot better than the pre-grated kind (which contains anti-caking agents to stop it from clumping together— also impeding its ability to melt well!). Grate your own parmesan cheese using a microplane or the smallest holes of a box grater.

Two Success Tips For Cooking The Pasta

Several readers have asked me for advice on cooking the best pasta. My top tips are always heavily salting the pasta water and not overcooking the pasta. Here’s why and how to achieve both for flavorful pasta that’s tender but not mushy.

• Heavily salt the pasta water: Pasta absorbs water as it cooks. So if the water is seasoned, the pasta will also absorb that seasoning. Salting the water is the best way to give your chicken alfredo a foundation of good flavor! Without it, the dish won’t ever taste seasoned enough and might even lean towards bland. Because you are adding salt to a large pot of water, you need more salt than you might think, too! I use 1 tablespoon of salt per 12 cups of water to cook a pound of pasta.
• Cook the pasta until it is al dente (or still has a bit of chew): The pasta will absorb a bit more liquid from the sauce and become even more tender once combined. If it’s cooked too much, it will be too soft and will fall apart in the sauce. For that reason, cook the pasta until it is tender but still has a good bite to it or feels slightly chewy. That way, even as it softens in the sauce, it will have a pleasant texture when you serve it.

Can I Fix A Broken Alfredo Sauce?

Generally, yes. And it’s one reason I always recommend saving some of the pasta cooking water before you drain the cooked pasta! If your sauce breaks, turn the heat down to low and can whisk in a few tablespoons of pasta water. Keep whisking for a minute or two, adding more pasta water if needed, until it comes back to a creamy consistency.

The starch in the pasta water helps the sauce emulsify, so the elements that have separated can combine once more. If that doesn’t work, mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, stir the slurry into the sauce, and whisk for 1 minute, making sure the mixture bubbles.

To avoid a broken sauce, gently simmer the sauce, and do not let it boil or get too hot (this means a few bubbles should break on the surface throughout the pan as the sauce cooks). Too high of heat will cause the cream to boil and break. At a high heat, the proteins in the cream denature, which means they lose their structure and fall apart, resulting in a sauce that is no longer emulsified and looks grainy, curdled, and oily. A lower heat will gently simmer the sauce without damaging the cream. If you need to reduce the heat on your stove below medium (closer to low or medium-low heat) to keep it from boiling, do so.

Can I Add Vegetables To The Pasta?

Absolutely! For firmer vegetables like sliced bell peppers, broccoli, or peas, cook them separately, then stir them into the pasta while you toss it with the sauce. For leafy greens like spinach, you can add them directly to the pasta and sauce without cooking them first since they soften very fast. If you have already cooked vegetables like artichoke hearts, roasted butternut squash, or sautéed mushrooms, toss them with the finished sauce, then add the pasta.

Here are some veggie addition ideas and how to personalize this chicken alfredo recipe to your taste:

• Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Alfredo: Fold in 2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach and ½ cup chopped canned artichoke hearts.
• Tomato-Basil Chicken Alfredo: Stir 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or ½ cup of drained oil-packed sundried tomatoes into the sauce with the pasta. Top with basil instead of the parsley.
• Pumpkin, Sage, and Pine Nut Chicken Alfredo: Stir in 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or thyme into the finished sauce, plus up to ¼ cup of warm milk (or more pasta water) to thin it out to your desired consistency. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Top the dish with toasted pine nuts when you sprinkle on the fresh parsley.

Pro Tips For Making The Best Chicken Alfredo

Avoid overcooking the chicken by using a thermometer. Once the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches 165°F, it is safe to eat, and you’ll have perfectly browned, juicy chicken breasts. Above 165°F, and it starts to turn dry and stringy. A kitchen thermometer is a useful tool to accurately measure the internal temperature of chicken so you don’t overcook it and dry it out.

For added flavor, season the chicken with 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning before searing. I simply seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper during recipe testing as I find the sauce to be plenty flavorful, but my executive editor, Sarah, swears by adding dried Italian seasoning for an easy upgrade to get even more flavor in every bite.

To make ahead: Cook the chicken breasts and make the sauce up to 1 day in advance. Reheat the sauce in a skillet over low heat, stirring frequently. (As I explained above about fixing a broken sauce, if it is heated too quickly and boils, it can split and become greasy. So go low and slow.) Thin it with a little bit of milk or cream if needed.

How To Make Chicken Alfredo

Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making creamy chicken alfredo. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.

1. Add the olive oil and butter to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. (Adding oil with the butter here increases the smoke point to help prevent the butter from burning.) Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and cook until its internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the chicken breast. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover to keep it warm. Wipe the skillet clean to remove any really dark bits from the pan. (Some browning left is fine!)

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente (tender with a slight chew in the center). Drain well, but first reserve at least ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.

3. While the pasta cooks, add the heavy cream, butter, and garlic to the same large pan you cooked the chicken in, and cook over medium heat. Whisk often, until the butter melts.

4. Then add the salt and black pepper and bring to a low simmer, adjusting the heat as needed to keep it from boiling. Whisk continuously until the sauce thickens slightly.

5. Sprinkle the freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce.

6. Whisk the sauce until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce is smooth.

7. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, toss the cooked pasta into the sauce. You can add some of the reserved pasta water if you need to thin out the sauce.

8. Slice the browned chicken breasts into strips. Divide the pasta among 6 bowls, top with the sliced chicken, and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

What To Serve With Chicken Alfredo

I love serving this rich pasta dish with a side of something green like air fryer broccoli, French green beans, or air fryer asparagus.

To make sure I can sop up every bit of the creamy sauce, I always fill a basket with garlic bread, breadsticks, or garlic knots for the table!

How to Store And Reheat Leftovers

While chicken alfredo is best enjoyed fresh, leftovers will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium heat in a small saucepan with a splash of cream, milk, or chicken broth to bring the sauce back to life!

More Pasta Recipes To Try

If you loved this easy chicken alfredo recipe, try these chicken pasta recipes next!

Chicken tetrazzini is a beloved baked pasta casserole with al dente pasta, tender chicken, and sautéed mushrooms all tossed in a creamy sauce. You can also assemble it and bake it later, making it great for meal prep.

My white chicken lasagna is a twist on a traditional lasagna, with a delicious spinach and ricotta mixture, shredded chicken, and a creamy white sauce layered between the pasta noodles. It freezes beautifully, so it’s a great make-ahead dish.

Whip out your Instant Pot and try my Instant Pot chicken alfredo. It has everything you love about this classic chicken alfredo recipe, but doesn’t require standing over the stove!

Restaurant-quality chicken scampi is ready in just 30 minutes! You’ll love the light, garlicky scampi sauce tossed with pasta and fresh vegetables.

If you’ve tried this chicken alfredo recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!