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With its golden caramelized chicken breasts and tender noodles in a luscious cream sauce, my pan-fried Chicken Alfredo Recipe will leave you craving more! Ready in under 40 minutes using simple ingredients plus one secret ingredient that makes Alfredo so much creamier!
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Chicken Alfredo
If you’ve ever had Alfredo chicken at a restaurant and wondered how they achieved that creamy, velvety sauce, I’m about to change your life with my easy homemade chicken alfredo recipe.
My tried and true alfredo sauce recipe, combined with tender fettuccine noodles and pan-fried chicken, makes an unbelievably simple-but-delicious meal guaranteed to be the blueprint for all your alfredo recipes in the future.
Not only does my recipe for chicken alfredo deliver incredible taste, it also comes together effortlessly in just about 30 minutes using simple ingredients. It’s the ultimate go-to weeknight dinner solution!
Chicken Alfredo Ingredients
- heavy cream
- butter
- minced garlic
- parmesan cheese
- white American cheese
- fettuccine pasta
- cracked black pepper
Yes, you read that right: white American cheese! This is the secret ingredient that makes my Alfredo sauce so creamy. Trust me, you do not want to skip adding this cheese. Even if you’re skeptical, give it a try: it makes a huge difference!
For more details on what makes this sauce so special, see my Alfredo Sauce.
How to Season Chicken for Alfredo
- chicken breasts
- olive oil
- garlic powder
- paprika
- salt
- pepper
- butter
Seasoning chicken for alfredo with a mixture of garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper gives it an amazing flavor to complement the creamy, cheesy sauce. Better yet, when you pan-fry it, the golden-brown crust gives the chicken a crisp texture on the outside that pairs beautifully with how soft the sauce is!
How to Cook Chicken for Alfredo
- In a bowl, mix together garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning over your chicken, coating all sides.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add half of your oil. Gently add no more than 2 chicken breasts at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook 5 minutes on one side or until golden-brown and caramelized.
- Using tongs, flip your chicken over and repeat. Cook time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken. Use a meat thermometer and Chicken Temperature Chart for best results.
- Add 2 Tablespoons butter to the skillet and cook an additional minute. Remove chicken from the skillet, and allow it to rest for about 5-10 minutes before slicing.
How to Make Chicken Alfredo
- While your chicken is resting, heat a skillet over medium heat, and melt another 4 Tablespoons of butter. While the butter melts, cook fettuccine pasta in a separate pot according to the package instructions until al dente (slightly underdone).
- Once the butter fully melts, add in minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Gradually and slowly add in heavy cream, making sure to stir, stir, stir! It is important to add the cream slowly while stirring so it does not curdle.
- After adding all the cream, slowly sprinkle in parmesan cheese. Keep stirring while you are adding it.
- Add in 2-3 slices of white American cheese and make sure to stir well.
- Sprinkle Alfredo with freshly cracked black pepper and stir to combine. Taste and adjust to your liking.
- Finally, add in your cooked pasta and mix everything fully together.
- Top with additional parmesan cheese, pan-fried chicken slices and parsley to taste. Enjoy!
Easy Chicken Alfredo Storing Tips
It’s important to store leftover chicken alfredo properly to maintain its texture and quality. You can either refrigerate it for a few days or freeze it for a few months following the instructions below.
- Fridge: Allow your chicken alfredo to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: It’s best to freeze chicken alfredo without the pasta, as the pasta will become mushy once thawed and reheated. Store chicken and sauce in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 2-3 months. Make sure to label with the freezing date.
- Thawing and Reheating: Transfer frozen chicken alfredo to the fridge and allow it to thaw overnight. Once thawed, reheat it on the stovetop, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can add a splash of milk or pasta water if your sauce has thickened.
Simple Alfredo Recipe Tips
- Swap out the protein: Instead of chicken breast, use chicken thighs or chicken leg quarters!
- Use a different pasta: Fettuccine is classic for Alfredo, but it’s not your only option. Try another favorite pasta, like penne or even angel hair!
- Add in veggies: Toss in some spinach or broccoli to add some greens in your dinner. Chicken broccoli alfredo is delicious and a great way to get kids to eat some veggies!
- Use high heat for pan-frying: This will achieve that golden, caramelized look on the outside of your chicken breasts. Make sure to heat your pan to medium-high heat.
- Cook the pasta al dente: It’s important to not overcook your pasta, it should still have a slight bite to it. This will prevent mushy noodles once you combine the noodles and sauce.
- Serve immediately: Enjoy chicken alfredo right away when the flavors and texture are at their peak!
Chicken Alfredo Recipes FAQ
Thicken your chicken alfredo sauce by continually stirring and adding in a bit more shredded parmesan cheese. Keep stirring and you will begin to see your sauce thickening. When it’s thick enough, it should cling to the back of a spoon.
The secret to perfect Alfredo sauce is to add a few slices of white American cheese. You might be skeptical at first, but it adds a creamy texture to the sauce like nothing else. Just this little touch adds so much, and I am always being asked for the recipe!
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📋 Recipe
Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts thinly sliced
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 6 Tablespoons butter divided; 2 Tablespoons for chicken + 4 Tablespoons for alfredo
- 16 oz fettuccine noodles
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic 1-2 garlic bulbs
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 slices white American cheese
- 1 pinch freshly cracked pepper
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
How to Cook Chicken for Alfredo
- In a bowl, mix together garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle seasoning over chicken, coating all sides.½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 4 chicken breasts
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in half your oil. Gently add no more than 2 chicken breasts at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook the chicken for approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown and a little caramelized.3 Tablespoons olive oil
- Using tongs, flip your chicken over and repeat. Cook time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken. Use a meat thermometer and Chicken Temperature Chart for best results.
- Add 2 Tablespoons butter to the skillet and cook for an additional minute. Remove chicken from the skillet, and allow it to rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.6 Tablespoons butter
How to Make Chicken Alfredo
- While the chicken is resting, heat a skillet over medium heat and melt 4 Tablespoons butter. While the butter melts, cook fettuccine pasta in a separate pot according to the package instructions until al dente (slightly underdone).6 Tablespoons butter, 16 oz fettuccine noodles
- Once the butter fully melts, add in minced garlic and cook 2-3 minutes, occasionally stirring.1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- Gradually and slowly add in heavy cream, stirring as you add it. This is super important: add it slowly while stirring so the cream doesn't curdle!2 cups heavy cream
- After adding all the cream, slowly sprinkle in parmesan cheese. Keep stirring while you are adding it.½ cup parmesan cheese
- Add in 2-3 slices of white American cheese and make sure to stir well.2 slices white American cheese
- Sprinkle alfredo with freshly cracked black pepper and stir to combine. Taste and adjust to your liking.1 pinch freshly cracked pepper
- Finally, add in your cooked pasta and mix everything fully together.
- Top with additional parmesan cheese, pan-fried chicken slices and parsley to taste. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- For more info on what makes this sauce so special, see my Alfredo Sauce.
- Swap out the protein: Instead of chicken breast, use chicken thighs or chicken leg quarters!
- Use a different pasta: Fettuccine is the classic for alfredo, but it’s not your only option. Try another favorite pasta, like penne or even angel hair!
- Add in veggies: Toss in some spinach or broccoli to add some greens in your dinner. Chicken broccoli alfredo is delicious and a great way to get kids to eat some veggies!
- Use high heat for pan-frying: This will achieve that golden, caramelized look on the outside of your chicken breasts. Make sure to heat your pan to medium-high heat.
- Cook the pasta al dente: It’s important to not overcook your pasta, it should still have a slight bite to it. This will prevent mushy noodles once you combine the noodles and sauce.
- Serve immediately: Enjoy chicken alfredo right away when the flavors and texture are at their peak!
Phyllis Rusnock says
You should have a cookbook! Great recipes
Isabel Laessig says
Thank you very much, Phyllis! This made my day! I do have three e-cookbooks available for free for my newsletter subscribers (sign-up here). I hope you’ll consider signing up!
Chrissy B. says
Hey i definetly want to try this recipe. When do i add the spinach or broccoli if i choose to make it with this recipe? And is it with the same ingredients? How do i cook it?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Chrissy! Do you want to mix the spinach or broccoli into the dish? If you want to use fresh spinach, it only takes a few minutes to cook it, so I would personally add that to the alfredo sauce near the end of the cook time. Add the cheese and seasoning, then mix through the spinach and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until the spinach is nice and tender. That should be all it needs. If you want the spinach separate, you can use my sauteed spinach recipe instead. For the broccoli, you can steam it separately (as instructed on the package it comes in) or cook it for about 5-7 minutes in a skillet, then remove and set aside before making your cheese sauce. Add it at the last minute just like you would with the spinach. Let me know if you have any further questions, and enjoy!