Description
This Chicken Broccoli Alfredo is a creamy, comforting pasta dish made with tender chicken breasts, finely chopped broccoli, and a rich Alfredo sauce. Cooked in a single pan, it combines sautéed chicken and broccoli in a cheesy cream sauce served over fettuccine, perfect for a quick and satisfying 30-minute dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces fettuccine
Protein and Vegetables
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 broccoli crowns (approximately 11 ounces, cut into florets and finely chopped)
Sauce and Seasoning
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (divided)
- 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Cook the fettuccine according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half crosswise to create thinner pieces. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and all of the black pepper evenly on both sides.
- Cook the Chicken: In a large pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Once done, transfer the chicken to a cutting board.
- Sauté Broccoli and Garlic: In the same pan, melt the remaining butter. Add the finely chopped broccoli and garlic, cooking them together in the butter for about 5 minutes until the broccoli begins to soften.
- Make the Alfredo Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream with the broccoli and garlic, bringing it to a light simmer over medium heat.
- Add Cheese and Thicken Sauce: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts fully into the cream. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 5 minutes so it thickens slightly.
- Combine Chicken and Pasta: While the sauce simmers, cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken pieces to the sauce and stir well.
- Finish the Dish: Add the cooked fettuccine to the pan with the sauce and chicken. Toss everything together to coat the pasta evenly with the creamy Alfredo sauce with broccoli and chicken.
Notes
- This dish comes together quickly in about 30 minutes, making it ideal for weeknight dinners.
- Finely chopping the broccoli helps infuse the Alfredo sauce with its flavor and ensures even cooking.
- Using half butter for cooking chicken and half for sautéing veggies balances richness without overwhelming the sauce.
- Parmesan cheese is essential to get that authentic creamy Alfredo flavor and sauce thickness.
- Slice chicken thinly for fast cooking and easy bite-sized pieces in the final dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 765 kcal
- Sugar: 4.8 g
- Sodium: 874 mg
- Fat: 42.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 25.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 44.7 g
- Cholesterol: 195 mg
