This easy chicken fettuccine alfredo recipe adds a tasty twist to the classic dish we all love. Instead of mixing the chicken into the sauce, I coat the chicken breasts in a seasoned breadcrumb mixture and baked them until golden and crunchy. Then, I add them to a bed of rich, creamy alfredo pasta. DEE-lish.
When you think of chicken alfredo, you probably think of chunks of chicken in a creamy white sauce. I love that classic comfort food version, but I've made so many creamy pasta dishes like steak alfredo and chicken bacon ranch pasta that I wanted to try something new.
For this chicken fettuccine alfredo recipe, I switched things up and added the chicken last. I topped a bed of alfredo fettuccine pasta with chicken breasts coated in a seasoned breadcrumb mixture that I bake until golden and crunchy. It's a delicious twist on alfredo that delivers all the classic flavor and a little something extra!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: This is what I always start with because I truly believe simplicity tastes the best. This recipe uses basic ingredients, and you can find them all in your kitchen or local grocery store.
- Easy: Both the chicken and alfredo recipes are easy to make, and the entire dish is ready in just about 30 minutes time.
- Classic Flavor: The rich, creamy alfredo sauce and fettuccine noodles deliver classic Italian flavor in every bite.
- A Tasty Twist: I put a twist on the classic flavor by breading the chicken with a seasoned coating and baking it rather than mixing chicken directly into the sauce.
Ingredients
Breaded Chicken Breasts
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Chicken breasts have a meaty texture and mild flavor, perfect for the seasonings in this dish. I'm using Springer Mountain Farms boneless skinless chicken breasts because they never use hormones or antibiotics and never add animal by-products to their feed.
- Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs get crunchy when baked without the need for frying.
- Seasoning: A blend of paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and thyme gives the breading a nice, deep flavor.
- Eggs: Eggs ensure the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken breasts.
- Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan adds more earthy, cheesy flavor to the breading.
Alfredo Sauce
- Aromatics: A blend of garlic and onion gives the sauce an aromatic flavor with a mild sweetness and subtle bite.
- Heavy Cream and Chicken Broth: A blend of heavy cream and chicken broth creates a rich, creamy sauce with an extra depth of flavor.
- Butter: Butter adds richness to the sauce.
- Seasonings: A blend of paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, dalt and thyme adds a deep, aromatic flavor.
- Fresh Spinach: Fresh spinach adds a nice color and more flavor.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Flavor Variations
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes to the chicken breading and sauce for a kick of heat.
- Protein: This recipe works with chicken breasts or thighs. You could also use shrimp.
- Cheesy: For a cheesy sauce, add grated parmesan, a little mozzarella, or both.
- Lighter: For a lighter sauce, use half and half in place of heavy cream.
- Richer: Use heavy whipping cream in place of heavy cream for a richer sauce.
- Vegetables: Try adding mushrooms or broccoli to the sauce.
Instructions
Chicken Breasts
- Slice the chicken breasts evenly down the middle. Then, pound them to uniform thickness with a mallet.
- Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, and seasonings in a large bowl. Then, whisk the eggs in a medium bowl.
- Dip the chicken into the eggs and again into the breadcrumb mixture and place them on a greased baking sheet.
- Drizzle the coated breasts with olive oil and bake at 400 until the internal temperature is 165 degrees and the breading is golden.
Alfredo Sauce
- While the chicken cooks, boil the pasta according to the package directions for al dente, drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions and garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
- Add the cream, broth, and butter and bring to a light bubble. Then, add the remaining ingredients and bring to a light simmer. Cook until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Gently fold the pasta into the sauce. Then, plate the pasta and top with the chicken. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use a skillet large enough to accommodate four chicken breasts, 12 ounces of pasta, and the sauce.
- Your onions and garlic should be cooked until fragrant and softened but not browned. Garlic gets bitter if you let it get brown.
- Like any cream-based sauce, you should never let the sauce get hotter than a low simmer, or it will break.
- Use a large pot of water to boil the pasta. It needs plenty of room to boil without sticking together.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair this rich, creamy chicken fettuccine alfredo recipe with simple vegetable sides like asparagus, a squash and zucchini medley, or a simple salad.
Go lighter with dessert, as this is a filling main dish. I like to finish the meal with options like pistachio ambrosia salad, coconut cream pie, or pretzel chocolate chip cookies.
FAQ
Yes, it does! Using breadcrumbs and parmesan helps the coating meld together as the chicken cooks, creating a uniform breading that gets golden and crunchy.
The only real way to know for sure when your chicken breasts are done is to use a food thermometer. When the internal temperature registers 165 degrees in the thickest part, it's fully cooked.
Sometimes, dark meat, like thighs, might have a pinkish hue even when they're fully cooked. In general, chicken breast should never be pink if it's fully cooked. The only caveat is if the chicken is cooked on the bone. Sometimes, the marrow can give a pinkish tinge to fully cooked chicken breasts near the bone but NEVER in the center.
★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star recipe rating and comment below! I would love to hear back from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok for more delicious recipes.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Breaded Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs
- 2 tps olive oil
Alfredo Sauce
- 12 oz fettuccine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon onion minced
- 2 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ tablespoon lemon pepper
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tbsp parsley
- Chopped spinach handful
- 1 tablespoon 1:1 gluten free flour
- ⅓ cup parmesan
Instructions
Breaded Chicken Breasts
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and lightly grease a large baking sheet with olive oil.
- Slice the chicken breasts evenly down the middle. Then, place each piece between layers of parchment paper and pound them to even thickness with a meat mallet.
- Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Then, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, and coating seasonings in a large bowl.
- Dip the chicken breasts in the egg mixture. Then, dip them in the breadcrumb mixture and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Drizzle the coated chicken with olive oil and bake for 18 to 25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and the coating is golden brown.
- Make the pasta and sauce while the chicken breasts are cooking.
Alfredo Sauce
- Boil the pasta according to the package directions for al dente and set aside.
- Preheat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Then, cook the minced garlic and onions for 2 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream, chicken broth, and butter and bring it to a light bubble.
- Add the sauce seasonings and stir.
- Add the chopped spinach, flour, and parmesan cheese. Stir and simmer for 10 or more, stirring constantly, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Gently mix the fettuccine into the sauce. Then, plate and top with the chicken. Enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate leftover chicken for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The fettuccine alfredo can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- The chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container. The sauce shouldn't be frozen.
- To reheat the dish, place the fettuccine alfredo in a skillet with a splash of milk and cook on medium-low until heated through. Then, microwave the chicken at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
- Placing your chicken between sheets of parchment paper not only protects your chicken from ripping, but it also protects your kitchen against bacteria spread.
- Use the flat side of your mallet to flatten the chicken. The goal is to even it out, not tenderize it.
- Don't wash your chicken before working with it. This is a myth that has been debunked. In fact, studies show that washing chicken actually spreads bacteria across surfaces thanks to water droplets, often too small to see with the naked eye.
Chelsea says
This is the comfort food we needed while getting some cold April weather!!! So delicious!
Liz says
Whoa, the crispy chicken was delicious over the bed of creamy pasta. Such wonderful comfort food!!!