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Make this easy Chicken Alfredo recipe with a few simple steps and ingredients. You’ll end up with a silky smooth cream sauce, golden-brown chicken, and tender pasta!
Here’s a super quick and easy recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights! Just sear the chicken, make the alfredo sauce (all in the same pan!), and toss it with cooked pasta for a velvety, garlicky perfection. This same sauce is essential for making Shrimp Alfredo Pasta, so you can switch up the protein and enjoy both versions!
And if you are looking for other creamy pasta dishes, you might like this Tuscan chicken pasta—another quick and easy recipe the whole family will love!
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Ingredients
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Below, I’ve shared my favorite way to cook them fresh for this recipe. However, you can cook them in your preferred way or even use leftovers.
- Chicken seasoning: I like to pan-fry the chicken with some olive oil and season it with butter and lemon pepper seasoning.
- Alfredo sauce: To make this, you need unsalted butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese (best to grate it at home from a block). You also need garlic, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. It’s best to bring the cream and butter to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cooking.
- Pasta: For the classic look, use fettuccine noodles. However, you can use any pasta shape!
- Pasta water: This helps to thin the sauce, so make sure to reserve a cup of the cooking water from the pasta.
See the printable recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Chicken Alfredo
Boil the Fettuccine: Begin by boiling the pasta in a large pot with salted water. Cook to al dente, following the package instructions. This usually takes 10-12 minutes. Once ready, drain and set aside. And make sure to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
Once you’ve set the pasta to cook, you can also grate the parmesan cheese and mince the garlic.
Cook the chicken: Rub the chicken breasts on all sides with the lemon pepper seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then, cook the chicken for 6-7 minutes on each side until it is cooked through and golden brown.
Check the doneness with a food thermometer – it should be 165ºF/74ºC. Alternatively, use a fork or a knife to check the insides—the juices should run clear, and the chicken flesh should be white throughout.
Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan, place them on a plate, and rub them with the butter. Then, cut into slices and set aside.
Make the sauce: Then, using the same skillet, heat the butter and heavy cream over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
Next, stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper and cook for about one minute until fragrant. Then, whisk in the grated parmesan until it melts and the sauce becomes smooth.
If the sauce is too thin, you can continue to simmer it a bit longer. If it is too thick, add some reserved pasta water—start with 1-2 tablespoons and add more as needed.
Assemble: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Then add the sliced chicken and gently toss to combine. You can taste and adjust any of the seasonings if needed or add a bit of salt.
Serve the chicken Alfredo pasta hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese. This recipe is indulgent and filling on its own. However, you can also pair it with a simple green salad, roasted garlic bread, or steamed vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, or asparagus.
More quick chicken recipes
If you try this easy chicken Alfredo recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Chicken Alfredo
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the pasta
- 12 oz fettuccine pasta
- 1 cup pasta water reserved from when cooking the pasta
For garnish (optional)
- fresh parsley chopped
- parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Grate the parmesan cheese and mince the garlic.
- Boil the pasta in a large pot with salted water to al dente (10-12 minutes, following the package instructions). Once ready, drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
- Rub the chicken breasts on all sides with the lemon pepper seasoning.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 6-7 minutes on each side until cooked through and golden brown.Check for doneness either with a thermometer (internal temperature should be 165ºF/74ºC) or by shredding it with a fork (the flesh should be white and the juices should run clear).
- Once cooked, remove from the pan, place them on a plate, and rub with the butter. Cut into slices and set aside.
- Using the same skillet, heat the butter and heavy cream over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper, and cook for about one minute. Stir in the grated parmesan and whisk until it melts.Optionally, add some reserved pasta water to thin the sauce—start with 1-2 Tbsps and add more as needed. Or, if it's too thin, simmer it for longer.
- Place the cooked pasta back into the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Add the sliced chicken and gently toss to combine. Serve the chicken alfredo pasta hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks for sharing!