This is comfort food in its purest form. Creamy, rich, unapologetic, and exactly the kind of pasta people come back to again and again. Chicken Alfredo is one of my most cooked, most shared, and most requested recipes, because it does exactly what it promises, no tricks, no nonsense, just really good food.
Chicken Alfredo
Chicken Alfredo doesn’t need reinventing. It doesn’t need fifteen ingredients, fancy techniques, or a backstory that tries too hard. What it needs is balance, confidence, and restraint. When it’s done properly, it’s silky, savoury, comforting, and deeply satisfying without tipping into heavy or greasy territory.
This version is the one I always come back to. It’s quick enough for a weeknight, indulgent enough to feel like a treat, and simple enough that you can make it half-asleep after a long day and still absolutely nail it.
Golden chicken, gently seasoned, cooked in butter and oil so it stays juicy. A cream-based sauce built in the same pan so nothing gets lost. Parmesan melted in slowly so it emulsifies rather than clumps. Fresh parsley at the end to lift everything just enough.
That’s it. No drama. Just a pasta dish that delivers every single time.
Why this one works so well
The key to a great Alfredo is understanding what not to do.
You don’t blast the cream. You don’t drown it in cheese. You don’t overcook the chicken. And you don’t rush the sauce.
Seasoning the chicken properly before it ever hits the pan means the flavour is built in from the start, not sprinkled on at the end. Cooking it gently in butter and oil gives you colour without dryness. Taking it out before building the sauce keeps it juicy.
The sauce itself is built in layers. Onion first for sweetness, garlic next for depth, chicken stock to thin and flavour, cream for richness, parmesan for salt and umami. Each step has a purpose, and none of them fight each other.
When the pasta goes in with a splash of pasta water, everything comes together into that glossy, clingy sauce that coats every strand. That’s the moment you’re aiming for.
Fresh vs dried pasta
This recipe works with both, which is one of the reasons it’s so popular.
If you’re using dried tagliatelle, you’ve got a bit more structure and bite. If you’re using fresh pasta, it becomes extra luxurious and silky. Neither is wrong. Use what you’ve got.
The important thing is keeping some pasta water back. That starchy water is what turns a good Alfredo into a great one.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic granules
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp cooking oil
20 g butter
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
150 ml chicken stock
300 ml double cream
80 g parmesan, finely grated
1 bunch of parsley, chopped
250 g pasta (I used tagliatelle)
How to make Chicken Alfredo
If you’re using dried pasta, cook it in well-salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthways so you have four thinner fillets.
Put the chicken into a bowl and add the paprika, garlic granules, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over a little oil and mix until the chicken is fully coated.
Heat the remaining oil and the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Pan-fry the chicken for 3–4 minutes on each side until cooked through and golden. Remove from the pan, set aside, then slice into strips.
In the same pan, add the diced onion and cook for a few minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Pour in the chicken stock and let it bubble for a minute, then add the double cream.
Stir in the parmesan, then return the chicken to the pan and let everything simmer gently until the sauce thickens.
If you’re using fresh pasta, cook it now until al dente.
Add the pasta to the sauce along with a splash of pasta water and toss well to coat.
Stir through the chopped parsley, taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Dish it up and finish with extra parmesan.
A few serving notes
This doesn’t need much on the side. A green salad with a sharp dressing works perfectly if you want something fresh to cut through the richness. Garlic bread is always welcome, obviously. Leftovers reheat best gently on the hob with a splash of water or cream.
FAQs
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Yes. Boneless thighs work really well and stay extra juicy. Just cook them a little longer to make sure they’re done.
Can I make this lighter?
You can reduce the cream slightly and add a bit more pasta water, but it won’t be Alfredo in the same way. This dish is meant to be indulgent.
Why did my sauce split?
The heat was too high or the cheese went in too fast. Keep it gentle and let the parmesan melt slowly.
Can I add extras?
Mushrooms, crispy bacon, or spinach all work, but keep it simple. The base is the star here.
This is the kind of recipe that earns its popularity. It’s reliable, comforting, and genuinely satisfying, the sort of dish people cook once and then keep in their back pocket forever. If you’re looking for a pasta that never lets you down, this is it.
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken breast
- 2 tsps Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic granules
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 2 tbsps Cooking oil
- 20 g Butter
- 1 Onion diced
- 4 Cloves of garlic chopped
- 150 ml Chicken stock
- 300 ml Double cream
- 80 g Parmesan
- 1 Bunch of parsley chopped
- 250 g Pasta I used tagliatelle
Instructions
- If you're using dried pasta, then boil the pasta as per the packet instructions.
- Slice the chicken in half lengthways so you have four thinner breast fillets.
- Place the chicken into a bowl and add in the paprika, garlic granules, salt and pepper. Drizzle some oil in and mix until the fillets are completely coated.
- Heat some oil and the butter in a large frying pan. Pan fry the chicken over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes on both sides. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. Cut it into strips.
- Pan fry the diced onion for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add in the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Now pour in the chicken stock, let it bubble away for a minute and then pour in the double cream.
- Add the parmesan, give it a stir and then add the chicken back into the pan. Leave it to simmer so that the cream thickens.
- If you're using fresh pasta then drop the pasta into salted boiling water, cook until it's 'al dente'.
- Add the pasta into the sauce along with some of the pasta water, mix it well.
- Add in the chopped parsley and season to taste.
- Dish it up and finish with a sprinkle of parmesan.
27 comments on “Chicken Alfredo”
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Not someone who cooks often. This was easy and my two girls loved it. I did it with spaghetti and it was delicious
Thank you. It makes me want to try other recipes!
Very easy very tasty ,loved by all ,one of family favourites ,thanks JW for another cracking recipe.
Very very yummy. One of my favorites.
Soooo good and easy to follow recipe
This is sooo yummy, and a nice easy recipe with normal ingredients. Loved by all even both the kids. Thank you.
Delicious sauce, all my friends and family loved it, hubbies favourite.
A family favourite, so easily to follow and tastes delicious. I make it regularly.
Love this man and his recipes!
This one is a firm favourite of ours – my 16 yr old daughter cooks it for us often and everyone we’ve cooked it for loves it too 😊
Another recipe which didn’t disappoint, fresh and tasty with such good flavours. I do like the dish to be a little saucy if you like it this way maybe worth leaving it a bit runny as it soon gets sucked up into the pasta when left. Absolutely loved it. Where has this chef been……can’t wait for the cookbook.
Amazing. All the family loved it
Just to echo what everyone else has said about this dish 😊 easy, tasty and quick to make
Absolutely loved this!!! So easy to make and it really was delicious. I would 💯 recommend. Thank you!
Not one for diet days, but definitely one for treat days. Had it several times now and it never disappoints. Highly recommend
Another stunning meal, big hit here!
5 stars from me! I’m always fed up cooking the same boring meals, I saw this and WOW. So easy to make & really tasty! Thank you for sharing your recipe. If you haven’t given this a go yet, I recommend you do! Delicious.
Amazing recipe and tastes delicious! It was restaurant meal standards at home! As always the recipe is so easy to follow!
So yummy. 10/10 from all the family. Can’t wait to cook this again.
A really quick recipe that’s loved by the whole family 😋
Delicious and really straightforward to make
my whole family loves it. they are asking for it on nights when i say i’m not sure what’s for dinner 🙂
This has become a family favourite and is now made weekly in our house. So easy to make but tastes amazing!!
Cracking recipe. So easy to follow and delicious.
So tasty and easy.
I’ve made this dish so many times it is delicious!
So quick and easy to make. The most delicious pasta dish I’ve ever made!
That was amazing!! Such an easy meal and we just loved the cheesy, creamy flavour. Will definitely be making this again and as it easy the first one of your recipes that we tried, we will be trying others. Thank you
Superb! This will be made by us on a regular basis. Loved the flavours and hope to try many more recipes. So easy to cook too. Thank you.