Easy Chicken Alfredo Recipe

Shanika Graham-White, the chef and food writer behind Orchids + Sweet Tea, doesn't want you to spend hours toiling away in the kitchen. She wants you to make meals you'll love in minutes flat. Exhibit A? "This Chicken Alfredo is the perfect easy weekday meal or a something simple for a laid-back weekend," Graham-White said. "Either way, this recipe's creamy base and load of chicken will leave your taste buds completely satisfied."

But hey, no reason for your dinner guests to know it took you next to no time to prepare this meal. It's the delicious Alfredo sauce that's doing the heavy lifting here, and when prepared properly it will always make a winning meal. But prepared wrong, and this usually reliable meal will be a fizzle. Do yourself a favor and "ensure that all ingredients are prepped prior to the actual cooking so you avoid burning any ingredients while making of the sauce, since you'll need to add them in pretty quickly," Graham-White advised.

Also, consider doubling the recipe to save yourself time another night. "Leftovers can be kept in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for three or four days" Graham-White explained. "Just re-heat when it's time to serve. [The meal] can even be frozen for three to four months in Ziploc bags or freezer-safe airtight containers."

There's a good chance that you have the majority of the ingredients used in this dish in your fridge, freezer, and pantry already, and you can always make substitutions as needed or as preferred. "You can always sub the cream cheese with full fat cottage cheese," said Graham-White. The chef pointed out that you "can make this vegan by omitting all dairy products and using soaked cashews, cauliflower, veggie broth, and plant-based milk."

But for the standard approach, you'll need two medium chicken breasts cut into slices lengthwise. For the creamy sauce you'll need: one teaspoon of garlic powder, one tablespoon of dried parsley, one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, three tablespoons of unsalted butter, four ounces of cream cheese (softened at room temp), one cup of heavy whipping cream, a quarter cup of chicken broth, two garlic cloves, minced, a cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. 

And for the pasta, round up one 8-ounce package of uncooked fettuccine or pappardelle pasta. If need be, you can use bowties, ziti, or other thicker noodle shapes.

Begin by cooking your pasta according to the packaging in a large pot of boiling water with the extra virgin olive oil poured in and the water salted. Take care to cook it al dente — again the package directions should tell you the proper time for this, but check regularly! And start the oven preheating on its way up to 400 F.

Drain the pasta, toss with a bit more oil to prevent it from becoming a sticky mass, and then set it aside. It's time to move on to the chicken preparation part of this recipe. 

Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, then cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have four thinner cutlets. Sprinkle them with the garlic powder and salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Lay the meat onto the baking sheet and bake the chicken for about 25 to 30 minutes until it's fully cooked. 

Use a meat thermometer to be sure the chicken is ready, and don't worry if you need to set it aside, you will heat it again before serving.

This is where the magic in our chicken alfredo recipe happens. Take the time to mince the garlic, to let the cream cheese warm up, to have each liquid ingredient pre-measured, and so on. Ready? Let's roll. 

In a deep, large skillet over medium-high heat, add butter and minced garlic, sautéing for one or two minutes until fragrant. Next, add in the cream cheese, heavy cream, and chicken broth. Whisk the mixture together until they all combine and the sauce is smooth, which will take about four to five minutes. Bring to a low boil.

One you reach that boil, add in cooked chicken slices, stirring it together until chicken is well coated. Next, stir the parmesan into the sauce and let it cook for about a minute or so. The sauce should be thick enough by now. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, then add in dried parsley and stir.

You have reached the last step of this easy, but ever so tasty chicken alfredo recipe! Add the cooked pasta into the pot sauce and toss until everything is well combined and coated. Serve the meal into your prepared dish and grate on more parmesan cheese, if desired. This pasta and chicken dish is perfect with a side salad, but you can also add in cooked broccoli, green beans, or other favorite veggies to make it a complete meal on one plate (or in one bowl). Just make a bit of extra sauce if that's the plan going in, so that there's enough to coat any extra ingredients.