Homemade Alfredo on a weekday? Yes! You can have this super kid-friendly chicken alfredo on the table in 25 minutes. Rotisserie chicken makes it a breeze, or you could use leftover chicken.
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Learning to be a competent home cook is largely a matter of learning which shortcuts are worthwhile and which aren’t. For me, cream-based pasta sauces are generally a do-it-yourself situation because:
A homemade alfredo sauce is rich, but still lighter than what you would find in a jar version. It should just stick to the pasta without being sticky.
To balance out the homemade sauce and still make this a very doable, kid-friendly weekday recipe, I use a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking the chicken from scratch. In my opinion, it reduces the preparation with no noticeable difference in taste!
What is alfredo sauce?
Alfredo is a creamy pasta sauce. It’s basically just cream and butter slowly cooked together. (You don’t need a thickener to make it.) When you add pasta, the starch in the pasta will further thicken the sauce, making it just thick enough to coat the pasta.
People will be impressed if you serve them a homemade alfredo sauce, even if it takes a while 15 minutes and three ingredients to make. Don’t worry – your secret is safe with me!
As I said, I like to use rotisserie chicken for this simply because it’s easier, but you can also poach medium-sized chicken breasts and then shred that. There won’t be much difference in the finished taste. Most of the flavor comes from the sauce anyway! The chicken just adds a little protein to the dish and gives it some extra body.
The best pasta for chicken alfredo
In theory, you could use any pasta for alfredo, but I think wider pasta works best for thicker sauces like this. I would go with fettuccine or linguine, but spaghetti goes well too.
Vegetable add-ins and suggestions
The only veggies I would add to my alfredo are peas (which you can stir in towards the end of the cooking time) or sautéed mushrooms, which are wonderful to fold in.
Personally, I like to keep my alfredo clean with pasta, gravy, and chicken, then serve it alongside a large, hearty salad.
Chicken alfredo prep and storage tips
This sauce and recipe comes together really quickly and is great fresh, but if you’re in a serious pinch the alfredo sauce holds up surprisingly well. Check out this make-ahead release for tips on how to do it!
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be warmed up well. Whatever you do, just don’t heat them! Heat the cold alfredo pasta in a saucepan with a splash of water over low heat. Gentle heat is key to bringing this pasta back to life!
Dad adds: lemon arugula salad
This is a rich dish, no doubt about that. To balance it out, I like to serve it alongside a light, peppery arugula salad. It’s borderline if you can get kids to eat that. Mine tried and passed, but adults will absolutely appreciate the combination.
Rather than making a dressing, I just toss the ingredients together, divide among a few bowls, and then sprinkle each bowl with a little good-quality olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of coarse salt. Yummy.
The children’s certificate
Pasta is generally a hit at the Macheesmo house, so I had high hopes for this alfredo sauce! The children were very skeptical at first. I realized I didn’t serve them a lot of white pasta sauces. They are used to either red sauces or butter sauces (naked pasta) so they were a bit suspicious of this situation.
When I got my more adventurous eater to try it, they both decided that white noodles were actually worth gulping down without a tantrum.
Wins all round, although there are fewer leftovers for me the next day.
More great weeknight pasta dishes
- Spaghetti pasta carbonara
- Pasta with spinach, artichokes and ricotta
- Chicken Piccata Pasta
- Simple buttery pasta
- Easy Italian sausage spaghetti
Fried Chicken Alfredo
ingredients
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1/4 cup unsalted butter
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2 cups cream
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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12 ounces fettuccine
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2 cups shredded roast chicken or boiled chicken
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1 cup grated parmesan cheese
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1 cup reserved pasta water
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Fresh parsley, garnish
- For the rocket salad (dad add):
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4 cups baby arugula
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1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
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1/2 cup shelled pistachios
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Thin strips of parmesan cheese
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Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
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Fresh lemon juice for drizzling
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coarse salt (optional)
method
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Boil a pot of water:
Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Salt generously.
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Start the sauce:
In a small or medium sauce pan, add butter, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Heat over medium-high heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Then turn the heat down and let the sauce simmer, stirring regularly to avoid scalding, until the sauce thickens slightly, enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
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Cook pasta:
Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package until al dente. I always like to test it a minute or two before the package says it’s done to avoid overcooking. When the noodles are cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the noodles.
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Finish the Alfredo:
Return the cooked pasta to the pot and add the alfredo sauce and shredded chicken. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly to combine the ingredients. Add cheese and keep stirring (I like to use tongs for this part).
The sauce will thicken as you mix it with the pasta. If the sauce seems too thick or sticky, add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to thin the sauce slightly. You may not need pasta water, or you may need a good amount of it.
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Make the Arugula Salad:
This is the ideal salad to serve with alfredo. It’s bright and peppery, cutting through the richness of the alfredo. Mix in the arugula, tomatoes and pistachios. Divide among bowls and garnish with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a pinch of coarse salt. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
LEFTOVERS! Alfredo leftover chicken will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Gently heat the alfredo in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of water. Not microwave.
