Italian
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Chicken and broccoli are cooked and folded into fettuccine with a Parmesan cream sauce. It tastes rich and savory, with the broccoli adding a mild green bite against the sauce.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- The chicken is cooked to 165°F before it joins the pasta.
- Broccoli is blanched so it stays green and does not water down the sauce.
- The Alfredo is finished in a wide pan so the noodles get coated.
- Parmesan, not a flour roux, thickens the cream.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Boil the fettuccine in salted water until just tender. In the last 2 minutes, add the broccoli. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain both.
- 2
Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
- 3
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing. Cook the chicken until it reaches 165°F, about 6 minutes. Move it to a plate.
- 4
Add the butter and garlic to the skillet. Stir 30 seconds, then pour in the heavy cream and warm it over medium-low heat.
- 5
Stir in the Parmesan until the sauce is smooth. Add the fettuccine, broccoli, and chicken.
- 6
Toss with a splash of pasta water until everything is coated and hot. Serve right away.
Pro tips
- Do not boil the broccoli the whole time or it will turn olive drab.
- Slice the chicken evenly so every piece hits 165°F together.
- Add pasta water before you add more cheese if the sauce looks tight.
Easy substitutions
- chicken breasts
- boneless chicken thighs, still cooked to 165°F
- broccoli
- asparagus cut into short pieces
- heavy cream
- half-and-half
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet with a splash of milk over medium-low heat until the chicken is hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 584
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Moderate · Stovetop · High Protein
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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