Julie Clark
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Chicken Alfredo Pasta
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One pan is all you need for this skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta recipe. From-scratch alfredo sauce, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts make this a no-fuss, elegant dinner idea.
Chicken Alfredo Pasta Recipe
This post was sponsored by Alessi Foods. All opinions are my own.
I grew up completely in love with chicken alfredo. We didn’t have it often, but besides fork-tender roast beef, chicken alfredo was my all-time favorite dinner. Since I’ve been married, I had often thought about making that chicken alfredo bake, but I knew it was a more time-consuming recipe that was not going to fit into my taxi-mom schedule.
I’ve known that Maddie also likes alfredo sauce and realized I needed to come up with an easy way to have that delicious alfredo flavor. This Chicken Alfredo Pasta recipe is it. You just need 1 pan and about 30 minutes. If you love easy dinners like that, try our chipotle chicken pasta!
Easy Chicken Alfredo
I’m all about recipes that take only 1 pan because who has time to wash pots and pans along with all of the plates and silverware from dinner?
Keep this recipe in one pan by starting with browning the chicken. Then you’ll remove the chicken and add chicken broth to boil the noodles. Then once the noodles have soaked up most of the chicken broth, you add the heavy cream and chicken back in, melting the Parmesan cheese in as you go. Simple as that.
From Scratch Alfredo Sauce
The basic ingredients in alfredo sauce are butter, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. It’s really that easy! The most important thing to remember is to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. You can buy a block of Parmesan in the deli and artisan cheese section of your grocery store. There are no additives and that freshly shredded cheese will give you the best flavor and texture. Stir the cheese in slowly so that it melts smoothly and doesn’t clump up. Sprinkle about ½ a cup into the pan, stir, then add more cheese and stir again until it is all melted in. And that, my friends, is how you make alfredo sauce. Easy!
Chicken Alfredo Add-Ins & Toppings
One thing I love to add into this chicken alfredo pasta recipe is sun dried tomatoes. Alessi has julienne cut sun dried tomatoes in extra virgin olive oil. Their tomatoes are hand-picked from the vine when they are at prime ripeness. Their highly concentrated flavor makes this 7-ounce jar the perfect size for adding to this skillet pasta recipe for a uniquely Italian flavor pop.
I also like to top my chicken alfredo pasta with Alessi pine nuts. I had honestly never had pine nuts (or really even heard of them) before using them in this pasta dish. I was highly surprised! Although they are traditionally used in pesto recipes, their creamy texture pairs so well with the alfredo sauce and pasta. You can even use these pine nuts on cakes and in macaroons. Imagine the possibilities!
Lastly, top with freshly snipped Italian flat-leaf parsley. This makes a gorgeous green and red presentation that is perfect for upcoming holidays.
Q: What is your favorite way to use sun dried tomatoes or pine nuts creatively?
If you love unique dishes, you may also like our Glorified Rice recipe made with Alessi Arborio Rice.
Have an instant pot? Try this IP chicken alfredo.
Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Servings 8
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (with salt and pepper, cut into bite-size pieces)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (warmed)
- 8 ounces freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (about 3 ½ cups)
- 7 ounces Alessi julienne cut sun dried tomatoes (drained)
- 1/4 cup Alessi Pine Nuts (for topping)
- 1/4 cup freshly snipped Italian parsley (for topping)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken pieces into the skillet and saute until browned on at least 2 sides. Don’t cook all the way through. Just brown them.
- Move the chicken from the pan to a plate and set aside.
- Add the garlic to the skillet. Cook and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken stock and bring it to a low boil.
- Add the pasta and boil for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the warmed cream and the chicken with juices. Stir well. Cover and simmer over low heat for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly add in 3 cups of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, ½ a cup at a time, stirring between each addition. Save about ½ a cup for using as a topping on the pasta when serving.
- Once the cheese has all melted in, add the drained sun dried tomatoes and mix well.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer spoonfuls of the pasta to serving plates and sprinkle with pine nuts, fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.
- Serve warm.
Notes
*Alfredo dishes are best when served the day you make them. Leftovers are still good, but won’t be quite as creamy.
The calories shown are based on the recipe being divided 8 ways, with 1 serving being ⅛ of the recipe. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 723kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 1050mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1465IU | Vitamin C: 29.5mg | Calcium: 400mg | Iron: 2.6mg
Thank you sounds so good!