Creamy, rich, and loaded with juicy chicken breast, our easy Chicken Alfredo recipe is pure comfort on a plate. Made with simple ingredients like heavy cream, mushrooms, and grated Locatelli Romano cheese. It’s a family favorite that always brings everyone back for seconds.
It’s not magic, but it sure tastes like it.
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During my restaurant days, Chicken Alfredo was always a favorite with my guests, and creating this delicious dish in your home kitchen couldn’t be easier. It’s one of those recipes that’s simple, satisfying, and just plain works.
The original Alfredo sauce was simply butter and Parmesan, created by a Roman chef named Alfredo di Lelio to help his wife recover after giving birth. Talk about comfort food!
Somewhere along the way, we added cream, chicken, and a hint of extra flavor, and that’s how we created the Alfredo that many of us love today.
With that creamy sauce, tender chicken, and pasta that holds on to every bit of flavor, it’s the kind of dish that hits all the right notes.
The ingredients are budget-friendly and easy to find, so you won’t be chasing anything down at a specialty store.
And our Chicken Alfredo is on the table in just 25 minutes, giving you restaurant flavor without the wait.
Serve it alongside a Caprese Salad for a fresh Italian touch, or a simple green salad with our Creamy Italian Dressing.
And if you enjoy creamy pasta dinners, our Marry Me Chicken Pasta or Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta will give you even more reasons to skip the restaurant.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our easy chicken alfredo recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Make Adjustments to the Recipe?
Absolutely. We make our easy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo recipe with chicken tenders, but you can easily swap in chicken cutlets, chicken thighs, or try it with whole boneless skinless chicken breasts for a different spin. They all bring great flavor to the dish, and it’s a good way to use what you already have on hand.
Fettuccine is the classic pasta choice, but you can also use short pastas like penne or rigatoni, or opt for angel hair pasta.
For the sauce, we used heavy cream, but you can lighten it up by replacing part of the cream with whole milk or chicken broth. And if you want to make the sauce even richer and creamier, stir a little cream cheese into the sauce.
We used grated Romano cheese, but Parmesan cheese works just as well. And grating your own Parmesan yields the best flavor, but pre-shredded cheese can be used as a substitute in a pinch.
And a sprinkle of fresh parsley on top makes a great way to finish the dish with color and freshness.
Recipe Variations
- Lighter Alfredo: Use half-and-half or light cream instead of heavy cream.
- Seafood Alfredo: Use a combination of shrimp, scallops, or crabmeat to make a delicious seafood version of this classic.
- Veggie Alfredo: Add broccoli, spinach, zucchini, peas, carrots, or your favorite veggies for an extra boost of flavor and color. You can add them in with the chicken, or make it without chicken.
- Spicy Alfredo: Stir in red pepper flakes, Calabrian chili peppers, or a pinch of Cajun seasoning. You can also blacken the chicken before adding it to the dish.
How to Make Chicken Alfredo
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make chicken alfredo in your home kitchen.
- Cook fettuccine according to the package instructions in boiling, lightly salted water. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, rinse it, and set it aside until needed.
- Pat the chicken tenders dry with a paper towel, then cut them into smaller pieces.
- Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper to a shallow bowl.
- Whisk to combine.
- Place the chicken pieces in the flour mixture.
- Toss the pieces to coat them with the flour mixture.
- Add two tablespoons of olive oil and butter to a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- When the pan is hot and the butter is melted, add the floured chicken to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Then, turn the pieces over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the pan, and add the sliced mushrooms to the same pan. Add additional olive oil if necessary.
- Sauté the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Deglaze the pan with white wine (optional).
- Add the chicken back into the pan and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the heavy cream, onion powder, and black pepper to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the cream has thickened slightly.
- Add the grated Locatelli Romano cheese to the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Stir to combine.
- Add the fettuccine and chopped parsley to the pan.
Reserve some of the parsley to use as a garnish. - Toss to combine and serve.
Garnish with chopped parsley, Romano cheese, and black pepper.
Chef Tips
- If you use whole breasts, pound them before cutting them up so they cook evenly.
- Always grate cheese fresh for a smooth sauce.
- Reserve a little pasta water to thin out the sauce if it becomes too thick.
This is the kind of delicious dinner that works for weeknight meals, special occasions, or anytime you want to bring a little restaurant-style comfort to the table.
After everyone’s had a bite, don’t count on having any left to look forward to tomorrow!
Serving Suggestions
- Pair with garlic bread or garlic knots, and enjoy with a Caesar salad or tossed salad.
- A glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio balances the richness.
- Perfect for weeknight dinners, date nights, or family gatherings.
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover Chicken Alfredo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, gently warm it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of pasta water, milk, or chicken broth to loosen the sauce. You can also reheat it in the microwave, stirring halfway through to keep the cream sauce smooth.
This dish doesn’t freeze well because the creamy sauce tends to separate once thawed, so it’s best enjoyed fresh or within a few days.
Recipe FAQs
You sure can. Just cook it earlier in the day, let it cool, and pop it in the fridge. When you’re ready to reheat, do so gently, adding a splash of broth or cream to keep the dish juicy. The key is not letting it overcook the second time around.
It can happen if you add too much salt beyond what’s already in the recipe. Between the salted pasta water, seasoned chicken, and cheese, there’s already a good amount of flavor going on. So taste the sauce before adding anything extra. If it does end up too salty, a splash of cream or a little plain pasta can help balance things out.
A splash of the pasta cooking water works like magic. It loosens things up without watering down the flavor, and the starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles just right.
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Easy Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces chicken tenders
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces mushrooms button or baby bella
- 1 lb fettuccine
- 2 ounces white wine optional
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup Romano cheese or Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
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Instructions
- Cook fettuccine according to the package instructions in boiling, lightly salted water. When the pasta is cooked, drain, rinse, and set aside until needed.
- Pat the chicken tenders dry with a paper towel, then cut them into smaller pieces.
- Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper to a shallow bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Place the chicken pieces in the flour mixture. Toss to coat the pieces with the flour mixture.
- Add two tablespoons of olive oil and butter to a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- When the pan is hot and the butter is melted, add the floured chicken to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Then turn the pieces over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the pan, and add the sliced mushrooms to the same pan. Add additional olive oil if necessary. Sauté the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine (optional). Add the chicken back into the pan and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the heavy cream, onion powder, and black pepper to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the cream has thickened slightly.
- Add the grated Locatelli Romano cheese to the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Stir to combine.
- Add the fettuccine and chopped parsley to the pan. Reserve some of the parsley to use as a garnish.
- Toss to combine and serve. Garnish with chopped parsley, Romano cheese, and black pepper.
Notes
- Lighter Alfredo: Use half-and-half or light cream instead of heavy cream.
- Seafood Alfredo: Use a combination of shrimp, scallops, or crabmeat to make a delicious seafood version of this classic.
- Veggie Alfredo: Add broccoli, spinach, zucchini, peas, carrots, or your favorite veggies for an extra boost of flavor and color. You can add them in with the chicken, or make it without chicken.
- Spicy Alfredo: Stir in red pepper flakes, Calabrian chili peppers, or a pinch of Cajun seasoning. You can also blacken the chicken before adding it to the dish.
- If you use whole breasts, pound them before cutting them up so they cook evenly.
- Always grate cheese fresh for a smooth sauce.
- Reserve a little pasta water to thin out the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Pair with garlic bread or garlic knots, and a Caesar salad or tossed salad.
- A glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio balances the richness.
- Perfect for weeknight dinners, date nights, or family gatherings.
You sure can. Fettuccine is the classic choice, but penne, shells, rigatoni, linguine, or even spaghetti work just fine. The key is to use a pasta that holds the sauce well. How do I keep the Alfredo sauce from separating?
The trick is to use gentle heat and whisk the cream, butter, and cheese together slowly. If you crank the heat too high, the sauce will break and turn oily. What’s the best cheese for Alfredo sauce?
I have always used Locatelli Romano, but Parmigiano-Reggiano is also a good choice. It’s best to grate the cheese freshly if possible. Pre-grated cheese often contains anti-caking agents that make sauces grainy.
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