Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli
- By Amy Dong
- Published Aug. 19, 2021
- Updated Apr. 16, 2024
This Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli is creamy, cheesy, and a family favorite. Make it meatless, or switch out the broccoli for spinach or kale.
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Easy Homemade Fettuccini Alfredo
There are few dishes that rival a toothsome bowl of pasta in the realm of comfort foods. Our family is a troop of pasta lovers, and fettuccini alfredo is head of the line.
Rather than stop at a basic butter and Parmesan concoction, we go all out with this easy primo version. The result is a creamy, cheesy, delicious fettuccine alfredo that includes chicken and broccoli, for the ultimate pasta meal-in-one. You’ll have starch, protein, and vegetables deliciously unified on one plate.
This meal-in-one dish is easy enough for a weeknight meal that the kids will devour, yet delicious enough for a weekend dinner with a glass of your favorite wine.
Simple Pantry Ingredients
The Protein:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs are great to have on hand for quick, easy meals. Simply cut into cubes, season, and sauté them for a lean and hearty protein choice. If you’d like to keep your fettuccini alfredo meatless, feel free to omit the chicken.
The Cheeses:
Sharp white cheddar cheese boasts a super tangy and more intense flavor profile than mild cheddars. Sharp cheddar not only packs a powerful punch, but it also melts like a dream. A good quality parmesan cheese provides a pungent, nutty zing that’s ideal for alfredo. Use fresh blocks of cheese and grate them yourself, for amazing flavor and texture.
The Vegetables:
We love broccoli florets here, as they’re accessible, they cook quickly, and lend both color and nutrition. Frozen or fresh florets may be used. Feel free to substitute with fresh baby spinach or baby kale leaves.
The Seasonings:
Aside from kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, we drop an abundance of freshly minced garlic and onion powder into this dish. Salted butter is used to sauté the garlic, which delivers irresistible aroma and flavor.
Pro Tip for creamy alfredo sauce
Be sure to give this alfredo sauce a thorough stirring, to ensure the smoothest and creamiest sauce possible.
It’s worth repeating to use only fresh blocks of cheese that you grate yourself, for best texture and flavor. You can grate the cheeses well in advance and keep chilled in sealed containers until ready to use.
The alfredo sauce itself can be made entirely ahead of time, kept in an airtight container in fridge, and gently reheated over the stovetop on low heat. Always stir well when reheating sauce.
More pasta to make and eat
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (so so much better than a jar; sauce can be frozen for future use)
- Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto Sauce, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella (comes together quickly and is fresh and flavorful)
- Perfect Pasta Primavera (plenty of fresh, vibrant vegetables in this pasta dish you’ll feel great about)
- Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Vodka Sauce (a delicious way to use sun-dried tomatoes)
- Cheesy Creamy Baked Ziti (this one’s a cozy family favorite)
You might love this garlic rosemary bread, too:
Did you make this?
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Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts , or thighs, cubed
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tsp onion powder, divided
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 2 TB olive oil
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 lb fettuccine, dry
- 6 TB salted butter
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup half and half
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 6 oz Parmesan cheese, wedge, freshly grated
- 8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, block, freshly grated
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Dry cubes of chicken with paper towels. Add half of the minced garlic, 1 tsp onion powder, salt, and pepper into the chicken, and mix well.
- In a heavy large skillet, heat olive oil about 30 seconds, and add seasoned chicken. Sauté until chicken is almost cooked through. Add broccoli florets to the chicken and continue cooking until chicken and broccoli are fully cooked. Set aside.
- Bring large heavy pot of well-salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook just until al dente, according to package instructions. Do not cook beyond al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Sauté the butter in now empty pot. Add remaining garlic and cook about 1 minute. Stir in flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes or until smooth.
- Carefully add the milk, half and half, chicken broth, and remaining onion powder. Continue to stir constantly until sauce is smooth and creamy, on medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Take your time to ensure the sauce is not grainy. Sauce should become thickened and smooth.
- Stir in Parmesan and white cheddar cheeses, continuing to stir until cheeses are melted. Add any additional salt and pepper to taste. Stir in sour cream and chicken/broccoli mixture to the sauce, combining well.
- Toss cooked pasta with sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
- This dish is best served immediately. If the dish sits out too long and becomes thick, loosen it with a bit more milk or chicken broth.
- Feel free to swap the broccoli for baby kale or spinach leaves.
- Make it meatless by omitting chicken.
- For smooth and creamy texture, use good quality sharp cheddar and parmesan blocks and grate them yourself. Pre-shredded packaged cheeses may not produce the same texture when melted.