Are looking for any easy Chicken Alfredo recipe? This creamy chicken pasta is simple enough for a weekday meal but fancy enough for date night. Once you make this creamy pasta sauce you will want to serve it with everything!
You will also love this delicious Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake!
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In partnership with Amarula.
Confession time… The recipe currently topping the charts at chez Supergolden Bakes is extremely simple and VERY rich. My kids cannot get enough of it… Have you guessed what it is?
Chicken Afredo of course! We don’t call it that in our house, my daughter just asks for ‘pasta with cream sauce’ or ‘chicken pasta’. But if I am feeling fancy I will tell her she is having restaurant style Fettuccine Alfredo!
The truth is that this cream pasta sauce is so darned tasty that you could serve it at a dinner party and be hailed a culinary genius! Look at this and tell me your mouth isn’t already watering 😉
So what is Alfredo Sauce?
Alfredo is a very simple cream pasta sauce made with butter, cream, and grated Parmesan cheese. That’s right, three ingredients! It has the same magic properties as Carbonara which is equally simple and just as addictive.
I like to add a healthy amount of minced garlic to my cream sauce and a secret ingredient if I am serving a special dinner… a splash of Amarula cream liqueur! This creamy liqueur adds a slight sweetness and hint of the exotic to this cream-based sauce.
What does cream sauce taste like?
Heaven… or my idea of heaven! It is rich, delicious and goes with pretty much everything. You can serve it plain, add chicken, salmon, meatballs, mushrooms or shrimp… I swear it would make cardboard taste good.
This is THE recipe I make whenever I am craving carbs… I just try to limit myself to a small portion. But that is so hard, I won’t lie to you.
Is this sauce actually Italian?
Some origin stories link this sauce with an Italian chef in Rome who named a butter and cheese linquine recipe after himself.
I have my doubts as to how authentically Italian this sauce is… but it really doesn’t matter. The indisputable fact is that it is extremely delicious and quite versatile.
Here’s what you will need…
- Cream – you can use single (pouring) cream or double (heavy) cream in this recipe. The sauce will be rich no matter what – this is not a recipe for the calorie conscious but as an occasional treat you can’t beat it!
- Parmesan cheese – do yourselves a favour and buy a wedge of good quality cheese. Freshly grated Parmesan will make this recipe irresistible! Avoid using boxed Parmesan cheese it just won’t taste as good.
- Chicken – You can use mini chicken breasts or large chicken breasts. If you prefer dark meat you can use skinless chicken thighs.
- Garlic – I like freshly minced garlic PLUS a little dried garlic granules. If garlic has you running for the hills just leave it out. Not a deal breaker!
- Pasta – fettuccine and Alfredo sauce are linked but you can use any type of pasta you like. Always cook your pasta in SALTED water. This is non negotiable – if you skip the salt the pasta will be bland!
- Plenty of chopped flat leaf parsley if you love fresh herbs.
How to make Chicken Alfredo
Take a look at this step by step tutorial – please note you will find the full recipe, including ingredients in the recipe card at the end of this post.
This recipe cooks in about 15 minutes but you will need to do a little multi tasking! Start preparing your pasta as soon as the chicken is ready to cook. You want the pasta to be ready at the same time as your cream sauce as you will be combining them straight away!
This recipe is best served straight after it is prepared – after all you can make it in about 20 minutes. If you make ahead and need to reheat it, place in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
You might need to add some water to loosen the sauce. If you have any of the reserved pasta water use it now other wise add a little warm water.
STEP 1. If you are using large chicken breasts you need to open them up or ‘butterfly them’. This just means they cook faster and more evenly. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board (use a separate cutting board for handling raw meat). Slice the side of your chicken breast but don’t cut all the way to the other side.
STEP 2. Open the breasts up. Cover the chicken with greaseproof paper and use a rolling pin to pound (gently) to flatten it.
STEP 3. Season the chicken well with freshly ground salt and pepper.
STEP 4. Heat a large skillet or frying pan and add a little olive oil. Pan fry the chicken breasts over medium-high heat, until golden brown and cooked through. This can take 8-10 minutes or longer if they are thick. Use a digital thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 75C / 165F. Set the chicken aside for a couple of minutes then slice on the diagonal.
STEP 5. While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and cook your pasta until al dente. Set a timer to cook the pasta for one minute less than pack instructions.
STEP 6. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add a tablespoon of butter to your skillet and let it melt.
STEP 7. Add the garlic once the butter is foaming and cook for about 30 seconds over low heat, stirring, until fragrant. Use a wooden spoon to stir any browned bits from the chicken at the bottom of the pan into the butter.
STEP 8. Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Stir in the salt and garlic granules.
STEP 9. Add the chicken back into the sauce and stir in the Parmesan cheese and a handful of chopped parsley.
STEP 10. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing everything to combine. If you need to loosen the sauce at all then add a little of the reserved pasta water.
STEP 11. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with more parsley and serve immediately!
More winning pasta recipes!
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Chicken Alfredo – Creamy Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 500 g | 1lb large chicken breasts (or skinless boneless thighs)
- Salt and pepper , to season
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil , to fry the chicken
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 500 ml | 2 cups double / heavy cream (or you can use single cream)
- 50 g | ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic granules optional
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley , to garnish
- Salt and pepper to season , if needed
For the pasta
- 300 g | 10 ½ oz fettuccine , or tagliatelle pasta (dried)
- 1 tsp salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board (use a separate cutting board for handling raw meat). Slice the side of your chicken breast but don’t cut all the way to the other side.
- Open the breasts up. Cover the chicken with greaseproof paper and use a rolling pin to gently flatten it.
- Season well with freshly ground salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet or frying pan and add the olive oil. Pan fry the chicken breasts over medium-high heat, until golden brown and cooked through. This can take 8-10 minutes or longer if they are thick. Use a digital thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 75C / 165. Set the chicken aside for a couple of minutes then slice on the diagonal.
- While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and cook your pasta until al dente. Set a timer to cook the pasta for one minute less than pack instructions.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Add a tablespoon of butter to your skillet and let it melt.
- Add the garlic once the butter is foaming and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the salt and garlic granules.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Add the chicken and parsley.
- Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing everything to combine. If you need to loosen the sauce at all then add a little of the reserved pasta water.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately!
Lee says
Made this AMAZING recipe tonight … tastes so good and really quick and easy. But I did wonder why Amarula was mentioned in the write-up and then left out of the ingredients and video … anyway I did have Amarula in the fridge … I live in Zimbabwe, just north of South Africa so it’s a staple for us 🙂 and added about a tablespoon (just a splash?) so no idea if that was actually enough or not, even too much. Could definitely taste it, but it did seem to make the sauce better having tasted before and after adding :). My daughters are also vegetarian so I like to find recipes that I can adapt to be meat free but are otherwise the same .. so I used oyster mushrooms – seasoned with salt and pepper and fried in butter/oil until well browned and very crispy and then proceeded as for the chicken recipe – and the girls LOVED it … success all way round.
Emily says
I’ve made this so many times and it is SO good! could you use half and half instead of heavy cream?
Lucy Parissi says
Yes absolutely
Sian says
Such an easy, satisfying weeknight meal! I added mushrooms cause I love them. My boyfriend loves pasta salads so this’ll be his lunch tomorrow too. 10/10. Thank you x
Melz says
Wow…This recipe is so amazingly delicious…I tried it yesterday and my family loved it. So much flavor yet so simple to make. Thanks soooo much for sharing this recipe. I have tried many online recipes…none of which compares to this…Every1 including my 2 year old enjoyed this meal…Absolutely delicious 😋
Lucy Parissi says
So glad you all enjoyed it 😘
robert says
Excellent recipe. Should have looked at the pictures, because thought the chicken and pasta would be swimming in the sauce but they weren’t. Could you please clarify if the 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese is grated parmesan? Could a different cheese be used, such as Romano? Other types of cheese?
Lucy Parissi says
Yes grated Parmesan. You can use any other type of hard cheese you like such as Grana Padano, pecorino etc
Georgina says
So I’ve just eaten this and honestly it was amazing! I’d happily pay for this in a restaurant I love a creamy pasta!!!
I’m not a great cook but this was sooo easy to make with simple instructions I’m so glad I came across this and actually made it
Thank you so much for the amazing recipe and to anyone wondering if they should make this
MAKE IT!!!!
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks for the lovely comment Georgina I really appreciate it ❤️
Georgina says
❤️❤️
Mark nurse says
Slightly altered the chicken side putting fresh mozzarella in between the butterfly and wrapping bacon around season and bake in the oven. Once cooked carve up and mix with the cream,parsley garlic and parmesan the toss it all together with tagliatelle. Serve with side salad and garlic bread.
Mojoblogs says
This is one of my absolute favorites because it’s super easy to make. Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
Lori says
Our family lived this recipe. Do you happen to have a blackened chicken recipe?
Lucy Parissi says
Glad you liked it! I am afraid I dont have a blackened chicken recipe but will do some research sounds intriguing!
Pauline Knowles says
Havnt got cream but have creme fraighe or milk
Lucy Parissi says
creme fraiche might work but could possibly split (separate), I am afraid milk is too thin
Alexandre says
Loved the recipe! I just added a little bit of lemon juice and zest to bring up the acidity and loved it!
Aisha says
I just made this and wow 🙌🏾 Thank you!
J says
Can I reheat the next day to eat?
Lucy Parissi says
Hi – yes you can. Warm gently over low heat, adding a splash of milk if needed. Don’t allow it to come to a boil.
Heather Janssens says
YUM! This was really delicious!! My husband, myself and our three kids loved this meal! Thanks so much for sharing such a yummy recipe! This will be made often in our home!
Lucy Parissi says
It’s a crowd pleaser for sure! My kids LOVE it too 🙂
Mpho says
The first chicken pasta I have cooked and feel confident to cook for guests. It is so good!
Lucy Parissi says
Love to hear that! 🙂
Tayler Ross says
I made this for dinner last night and it was incredible! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Renee Goerger says
I love chicken with creamy pasta. This recipe is fantastic!
Ashley says
Seriously delicious! We loved this so much, we can’t wait to make it again.
Camila Rojas says
This alfredo pasta looks absolutely delicious. I love the idea of making the chicken like grilled first and then add it to the pasta!
So trying!
Jane Saunders says
So very tasty and easy to pull together.
Sarah says
Is that a 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese or 1 1/2 cup?
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Sarah, it is half a cup