Creamy Chicken Alfredo Broccoli (Printer-friendly)
Tender chicken and broccoli tossed in a rich Alfredo sauce with fettuccine noodles.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips (approximately 1.1 lbs)
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 cups broccoli florets (approximately 7 oz)
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Pasta
04 - 12 oz fettuccine
→ Alfredo Sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
07 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (3.2 oz)
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
→ Garnish
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# How to Prepare:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook according to package directions. Add broccoli florets during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain pasta and broccoli, then set aside.
02 - Season chicken strips with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Cook chicken until golden brown and fully cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
03 - In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, add heavy cream, and bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg if using. Cook while stirring until sauce slightly thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust salt to taste.
05 - Return cooked fettuccine, broccoli, and chicken to the skillet. Toss to combine thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water gradually to achieve desired sauce consistency.
06 - Transfer to plates and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Ready in under 45 minutes, which means you can make this on any night without planning ahead.
- The sauce is genuinely homemade but tastes like you've been simmering it for hours.
- Broccoli becomes soft and absorbs the sauce instead of being an afterthought on the plate.
02 -
- Never add cold cream directly to a hot pan of just-cooked garlic—it can curdle; always reduce heat first and let things calm down.
- Saving pasta water is essential because that starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles instead of sliding off.
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly than cold ones, so pull cream and Parmesan out of the fridge a few minutes early.
- If sauce breaks and looks separated, turn off the heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold water or milk to rescue it.