Easy Chicken Alfredo Recipe
This creamy Chicken Alfredo recipe combines juicy chicken, tender pasta, and a silky cheese sauce for the ultimate comfort food. Perfect for family dinners or date nights!
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
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.
- 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.
Can I cook the chicken ahead of time without drying it out?
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. You can also add leftover rotisserie chicken to make the dish even easier to prepare.
Can the sauce become too salty, and if so, how can I fix it?
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.
How do I thin the sauce if it gets too thick?
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.
Can I use a different pasta?
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.
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 1061kcalCarbohydrates: 93gProtein: 46gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 32gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 304mgSodium: 528mgPotassium: 883mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1925IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 329mgIron: 3mg
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