This Easy Chicken Pasta Alfredo with Broccoli requires 3 ingredients for the alfredo sauce along with fried chicken breast and finely chopped fresh broccoli. It's such a simple recipe and a great choice for a quick weeknight dinner.
Many pasta alfredo recipes include cream, but the authentic recipe only asks for 3 ingredients; butter, parmesan, and pasta. It's a gorgeous trio that tastes fresh, creamy, and indulgent.
In this souped up version, we're adding chicken and broccoli for colour, extra nutrients, and a bit more bulk to the pasta dish. It's a very nostalgic plate of food for me, and I'm sure a lot of you will feel the same way. Although the savoury, silky version of this chicken broccoli alfredo pasta is a 10/10, you might also love adding a sprinkle of chili flakes to spice up the dish.
If you're looking for more chicken and broccoli pasta dishes, here's an even creamier cheesier version that you might love, and it's my chicken and broccoli pasta bake. For those of you looking to cook the rainbow, my pea and asparagus pasta is a delicious green option. A creamy option for you is my creamy chicken orzo which you can eat with a spoon (always a winner!).
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Why you'll love this recipe
Minimal ingredients: a traditional alfredo pasta sauce only requires 3 ingredients, so in addition to the butter, parmesan, and pasta, we'll be adding broccoli and chicken to the dish to make it a full of chicken pasta alfredo with broccoli recipe.
Family meal: pasta alfredo with chicken and broccoli is such an inclusive and simple recipe to make for fussy kids and hungry adults.
Customisable: whether you want to make this spicy, want to add more vegetables, use a different type of pasta...it's a really simple dish to customise based on your preferences.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Pasta: an authentic dish would use fettuccine for this alfredo chicken pasta, but we're actually using paccheri pasta, which is essentially a larger version of rigatoni. You can use whatever shape you like. You can also use gluten-free pasta if you need to.
Chicken: breast is what we're using. Finely chop it into small pieces so that it cooks quickly. If you don't fancy chicken, why not try ground pork or ground beef? For a vegan option, I'd recommend using finely chopped mushrooms, aubergine, or tofu.
Butter: many recipes recommend using unsalted butter, but I prefer to use slightly salted butter because it naturally adds the flavour into the dish. Feel free to use plant-based butter for those of you looking for a vegan option.
Broccoli: one head of broccoli (and the stem) is perfect for 4 portions. If you're looking for an alternative to broccoli, I'd use cauliflower, spinach, or mushrooms.
Parmesan: it's a great cheese. If you don't have it, then use pecorino. Feel free to add in a vegan alternative if you're plant-based.
Black pepper: good quality ground black pepper!
The full list of ingredients and measurements is in the recipe card further down this blog!
Step by step instructions with photos
Step 1: Place your pasta in a pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente according to packet instructions.
Step 2: Place a deep metal pan on medium/high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in the minced garlic and chopped chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side until the chicken has browned and cooked through. Don't stir too frequently, you want to leave the chicken to brown. Remove and set aside.
Step 3: Using a ladle, scoop out 300ml of pasta water from your pan into a jug. 2 minutes before your pasta is ready, add in the finely chopped broccoli. Once softened and the pasta is cooked, drain and set aside.
Step 4: In the empty fried chicken pan, add in the butter and leave to melt on medium heat.
Step 5: In the butter pan, add in the drained pasta, broccoli, fried chicken, and grated parmesan. Then gradually add the pasta water and stir until blended. Place back on the heat to thicken and stir frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Once the sauce has thickened and is glossy, serve up the chicken and broccoli alfredo pasta, top with grated parmesan, and enjoy!
What to do with leftovers
Storage: Leave the pasta to cool, and then place in airtight containers and into the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Once again, leave the chicken broccoli alfredo pasta to cool, then place in airtight containers (don't forget to label them with the date and the contents), and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're wanting to eat it, leave in the fridge overnight to thaw/defrost.
Reheating: You can either reheat the alfredo pasta in the microwave or on the stovetop. For the microwave, simply add a splash of milk to the container, leave the lid ajar, and heat until piping hot. The milk adds moisture keeping it nice and glossy. For the stovetop, place a pan on medium heat and add in the pasta, followed by some milk or water. Place on the lid and leave to simmer until warmed through, stirring frequently.
FAQs
Butter, parmesan, and pasta water. You can add some black pepper too.
You can use fettuccine, rigatoni, linguine, penne, whatever you fancy. You can also use gluten-free pasta.
Yes, replace the butter and parmesan with vegan alternatives. Then swap out the chicken with a plant-based alternative, or some veggies like mushrooms, eggplant, or spinach.
No, not at all, but if you'd like to make it even more creamy than it already is, then go for it!
More recipes you might enjoy!
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Easy Chicken Pasta Alfredo with Broccoli
Ingredients
- 300 g pasta
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 400 g chicken breast finely chopped
- 125 g salted butter you can use unsalted butter, but make sure to add salt according to your preference
- 1 broccoli finely chopped
- 50 g parmesan grated
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place your pasta in a pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente according to packet instructions.
- Place a deep metal pan on medium/high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in the minced garlic and chopped chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side until the chicken has browned and cooked through. Don't stir too frequently, you want to leave the chicken to brown. Remove and set aside.
- Using a ladle, scoop out 300ml of pasta water from your pan into a jug. 2 minutes before your pasta is ready, add in the finely chopped broccoli. Once softened and the pasta is cooked, drain and set aside.
- In the empty fried chicken pan, add in the butter and leave to melt on medium heat.
- In the butter pan, add in the drained pasta, broccoli, fried chicken, and grated parmesan. Then gradually add the pasta water and stir until blended. Place back on the heat to thicken and stir frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once the sauce has thickened and is glossy, serve up the chicken and broccoli alfredo pasta, top with grated parmesan, and enjoy!
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