Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

4.50 from 8 votes

This quick and easy chicken broccoli Alfredo is the perfect weeknight dinner. It's creamy and comforting, packed with tender chicken, tender crisp broccoli, and a homemade Alfredo sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 1060kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
3 to 4 cups broccoli florets
½ pounds penne pasta

Alfredo sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups heavy cream plus more as needed
1 ½ cups FRESHLY grated parmesan cheese I use a box grater
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Using a meat mallet, pound each chicken breast to about ½ inch thick evenly. Season with Italian seasoning, salt (about ½ teaspoon per breast), and pepper.
Cook chicken: In a skillet over medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pan-sear chicken, about 6 minutes per side or until fully cooked through in the center. Let it rest for 10 minutes, and then slice or cut into cubes.
Cook pasta and broccoli: Meanwhile, in a large pot with generously salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions. 3 to 4 minutes before the pasta cook time is up, add the broccoli florets and cook together with the pasta, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is tender crisp. Reserve 1 cup pasta water for later just in case. Drain and run through cold water to stop the cooking process.
Make the Alfredo sauce: In the same skillet you used to cook the chicken (wipe it clean), melt the butter and sauté the minced garlic for a few seconds until fragrant. Add heavy cream and bring to a light simmer over low heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the grated parmesan cheese and stir to combine for another 1 minute, set aside. If the sauce is too thick, stir in some of the reserved pasta water as needed.
Return the cooked pasta and broccoli into the skillet, and toss with the Alfredo sauce until warmed. Do the same with the sliced or cubed chicken. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan on top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

Use FRESHLY grated parmesan cheese for the sauce. Pre-shredded bagged parmesan cheese contains added preservatives that will make the sauce grainy.
Reserve some of the pasta water just in case you need to adjust the sauce consistency.
Don’t overcook the sauce or use high heat, otherwise it can thicken too much and separate.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave oven.
Broccoli: I would not recommend using frozen broccoli - it will be soggy and lack that vibrant green color.

3 easy ways to cook broccoli:

Cook it along with the pasta during the last 3-4 minutes until crisp tender.
Microwave with ¼ cup water (covered with a lid or plate) for about 4 minutes or until crisp tender.
Steam for 4 to 5 minutes in a steaming basket over simmering water in a pot.

Substitutions and variations:

Chicken: Shrimp or salmon are good substitutes. This is also a great recipe to use leftover chicken.
Pasta choices: Penne, rotini, farfalle, rigatoni, farfalle. Fettuccine or spaghetti are great choices too.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition