Description
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo is weeknight comfort food at its finest tender slices of chicken, crisp‑tender broccoli, and twirls of fettuccine all wrapped in a rich Parmesan cream sauce. It comes together in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy nights when you still want something cozy, satisfying, and a little bit indulgent.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz fettuccine pasta
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving, if desired)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to package directions until al dente. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water. Drain the pasta and broccoli together and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced chicken in an even layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.
- In the same skillet, add the minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute, just until fragrant, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Pour in the heavy cream, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 2–3 minutes to slightly thicken.
- Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Return the cooked chicken, fettuccine, and broccoli to the skillet. Toss gently with tongs until everything is evenly coated in the Alfredo sauce and heated through, 1–2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan, if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan from a block for the smoothest, silkiest Alfredo sauce pre-grated cheese can be grainy and harder to melt.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a splash of reserved pasta water or milk until you reach your desired consistency.
- Cut the chicken into thin, even strips so it cooks quickly and stays tender instead of drying out.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of the recipe)
- Calories: 620 kcal (approx.)
- Sugar: 3 g (approx.)
- Sodium: 580 mg (approx.)
- Fat: 34 g (approx.)
- Saturated Fat: 16 g (approx.)
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g (approx.)
- Trans Fat: 0 g (approx.)
- Carbohydrates: 44 g (approx.)
- Fiber: 3 g (approx.)
- Protein: 38 g (approx.)
- Cholesterol: 165 mg (approx.)
Keywords: chicken and broccoli alfredo, creamy chicken pasta, easy weeknight dinner, fettuccine alfredo with chicken, one pan pasta