Description
This One Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta recipe is a creamy, comforting meal made with tender chicken breast cooked to golden perfection, combined with fettuccine pasta simmered in a rich Alfredo sauce made from milk, chicken broth, heavy cream, and freshly grated parmesan. It’s a quick, one-skillet dish that delivers delicious restaurant-quality flavors with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 200 g / 7 oz chicken breast, cut in half horizontally
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Pasta and Sauce
- 250 g / 8 oz fettuccine
- 2 cups milk (any fat %)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock / broth
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup thickened / heavy cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breast with salt and pepper evenly to enhance flavor during cooking.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken onto a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing while you cook the pasta.
- Prepare Sauce Base and Pasta: In the same skillet, add 2 cups of milk, 1.5 cups chicken broth, and the minced garlic. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add the fettuccine pasta and stir every 30 seconds to prevent sticking as it softens over about 3 minutes.
- Simmer Pasta: Reduce the heat to medium. Continue to stir the pasta every couple of minutes for about 6-7 minutes until pasta is almost cooked but still has liquid covering the base of the skillet.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese to the pasta. Mix well to combine and continue to simmer the sauce for approximately 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens and the pasta is cooked to your preferred tenderness. If the sauce becomes too thick or clumpy, add a splash of hot water to achieve a silky consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Slice the rested chicken breast and return it to the skillet or serve it on top of the pasta. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra grated parmesan before serving immediately.
Notes
- This recipe works well with any type of cream, including light cream; richer creams produce a more decadent sauce.
- Freshly grated parmesan melts better and results in a smoother sauce than pre-grated store-bought parmesan.
- Remove the skillet from heat while the sauce is still saucy as the sauce thickens quickly when off heat.
- Cooking the chicken separately allows for juicier, beautifully browned chicken pieces.
- If brown bits stick to your pan, scrape them off for a cleaner white sauce appearance.
- The quality and clarity of chicken stock affect the whiteness of your sauce; use clear brands like Campbell’s for best results.
- If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of hot water to loosen it back to a silky texture.
- To achieve al dente pasta, keep an eye on cooking times and add hot water if pasta needs more time to cook without drying the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/3 of recipe)
- Calories: 560 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
