Description
Creamy chicken alfredo elevates weeknight dinners with luxurious Italian-inspired flavors. Rich parmesan sauce and tender chicken provide a delightful meal that welcomes you to savor each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 oz (226 g) dried pasta, half standard box
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- Basil leaves for garnish
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Boil salted water and cook pasta until al dente, reserving starchy cooking liquid before draining.
- Aromatics Sauté: Heat olive oil in a large skillet, caramelize onions until translucent, then introduce garlic and butter, stirring rapidly to prevent scorching.
- Protein Cooking: Sear chicken pieces in the skillet, ensuring complete golden-brown doneness with no residual pink coloration.
- Sauce Development: Pour heavy cream and reserved pasta water into the pan, creating a velvety sauce base; incorporate parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, allowing the mixture to simmer and thicken.
- Final Assembly: Fold cooked pasta into the creamy sauce, coating each pasta strand thoroughly, then garnish with fresh torn basil leaves.
- Serving: Plate immediately while the dish remains piping hot, preserving the sauce’s luxurious texture and vibrant flavors.
Notes
- Preserve Pasta Water: Starchy liquid acts as a secret sauce thickener and helps bind ingredients smoothly.
- Prevent Garlic Burning: Quickly stir garlic to avoid bitter, acrid flavors that can ruin the entire dish’s taste profile.
- Check Chicken Doneness: Use meat thermometer or cut into thickest part to confirm no pink remains, ensuring food safety.
- Gentle Sauce Simmering: Low and slow heat development allows cream and cheese to blend seamlessly without separating or breaking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 645
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 120mg