I’ve previously made a meat-free version of alfredo that was made the classic Italian way. But this time, I wanted to level it up a little by including cream and chicken on the recipe list.
There’s a key ingredient in chicken alfredo that really makes it creamy and rich and delicious: Westgold Butter. I couldn’t imagine skipping this step because it’s an imperative part of my recipe!
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Chicken Alfredo
There’s a few things to note about this recipe that I think make it really fantastic:
- This is a one pot meal! That’s right, one pot. “How?!” I hear you ask! Because it’s about cooking the sauce and even the pasta in the pan that the chicken is cooked in.
- Deglaze the chicken pan with Westgold Butter. Yep! That’s the best way to do it because you’ll get all those yummy bits that can give it texture and depth of flavour.
- Fresh herbs! I cannot emphasise enough that zesty and fresh herbs really improve a recipe. I see people skipping fresh herbs all the time and I just think, “WHY!?” I use parsley this time but this can be substituted with dill or tarragon or whatever takes your fancy. It just adds such a different dimension that you can’t get from other ingredients.
Trusting the process!
It’s all about the sauce for this recipe. And, I will warn you now, it can be a bit of a labour of love. Because sauces like this take some patience (and trusting the process!!) to thicken up.
So yes, it might be really loose to start off with, but never fear, it will thicken! The pasta will absorb most of the sauce and the parmesan stirred through at the end will really help thicken it. You will be left with a smooth, glossy and silky pasta sauce.
Like when you make a bechamel sauce for lasagna, it will seem like it’s never going to happen. And then, voila! It happens. The sauce thickens up and becomes the perfect consistency to coat all the noodles and make sure that every part of the dish is flavourful.
Pasta is a personal choice
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about pasta it’s that the shape is such a personal choice. Short, long, tubes, flat. Whatever you like! For this particular recipe I chose penne. I think that short noodles work with the chicken pieces because it’s about being able to have both things at the same time!
But, again, it’s up to you! It also can be up to you what’s left in the cupboard. I am all about no wastage so make sure you clear the pantry before you buy something new.
So, remember this!
- Butter, butter, butter to make it rich and creamy and delicious.
- The sauce will take a while to thicken but trust the process.
- Don’t skimp on the chicken seasoning!
- And whatever you do, do not clean the pan after you have seared the chicken as this is where all the flavour lives.
If you make this Chicken Alfredo, please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations!
If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.
Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 garlic bulb
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 400 g chicken breast 14oz
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 50 g Westgold salted butter 1.7oz
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 cups full cream milk 500mL/16oz
- 1 cup heavy cream 250mL/8oz
- 1 cup chicken stock 250mL/8oz
- 250 g penne pasta 8oz
- 50 g parmesan 1.7oz grated
- fresh parsley finely chopped
- salt + pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 390 F.
- Cut the top off the garlic bulb roughly 2cm down from the top so the cloves are exposed. You can always replace the roasted garlic with 4 cloves of fresh garlic that has been finely diced.
- Place the bulb of garlic into the centre of an oven proof dish or piece of alfoil, drizzle with ½ tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Allow the garlic to slightly cool until you are able to handle it. Using your fingers, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skin. Set to the side.
- Using a sharp knife, cut through the middle of the chicken breast horizontally so they halve in thickness. Let the knife do most of the work, applying a small amount of pressure as the knife glides through crosswise. It’s easiest when you place one hand on top of the chicken breast. Don’t worry if this is not done too evenly! Repeat this step with all the chicken breast.
- Place one piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a mallet, pound the chicken from the centre outwards until the breast is roughly 2cm thick and has an even thickness throughout. This step is not necessary but will guarantee the chicken cooks evenly throughout.
- Place the chicken into a large bowl and sprinkle over the paprika, oregano, garlic and onion powder and generous amount of salt and pepper. Drizzle with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Coat the chicken in the spices by massaging them into the chicken with your hands.
- In a large skillet pan on a medium – high heat, bring the remaining olive oil to heat. Once hot, place the chicken breast into the pan and cook for 2 – 3 minutes on each side. This step may need to be done in batches depending how large your pan is. Remove the chicken from the pan, allow to rest for 5 minutes then slice. Set to the side.
- Add the butter to the pan and cook until bubbling. While the butter cooks, use a wooden spoon to scrape any of the delicious chicken bits off the pan. This is where the flavour lives!
- Add the onion and roasted garlic to the pan with the butter and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant and translucent.
- Add the milk, cream and chicken stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to medium and add the pasta. Stir through and cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente and has absorbed 75% of the liquid.
- Turn the heat to low, add the parmesan and stir through. The sauce will begin to thicken.
- Finish off by stirring through a large handful of parsley and place the chicken breast on top. Garnish with an extra sprinkling of parmesan. Serve immediately.
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