Description
A delicious and creamy chicken Alfredo pasta dish with broccoli.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Pinch Kosher salt
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup cream cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1–1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 pound Rigatoni or Fusili pasta
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Pat the chicken with paper towels to thoroughly dry them.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat until the oil is hot.
- Add the chicken breasts to the skillet with the smooth side down. Cook chicken for 8-9 minutes without moving it. Cook until the smooth side of the chicken looks golden and the chicken can easily be released from the pan.
- Add the butter to the skillet and swirl, moving the chicken so the butter can get underneath the chicken.
- Cook another 1-2 minutes or until the chicken turns a rich deep golden brown.
- Turn chicken over and cook another 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove skillet from heat but let the chicken remain in the skillet for another 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to a plate or cutting board and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Trim away tough portions of the stem and rinse the broccoli under water. Slice larger broccoli florets in half so each piece will cook evenly.
- Add about 1-inch of water to a pot and insert a steamer inside. Make sure the water isn’t coming through the steamer basket.
- Put the broccoli in the steamer inside the pot. Place a lid on the pot and steam for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat immediately. You can undercook the broccoli just a bit, because when you add it to the hot Alfredo sauce, it will cook a little more.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine pasta and cook according to the directions on the package (often between 9-12 minutes), or until pasta is al dente. Transfer pasta noodles to a colander and drain completely. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes or until soft and aromatic.
- Add the cubes of cream cheese to the skillet and cook until it melts into the butter.
- Pour the cream into the skillet and whisk. Cook the cream over low heat for about 5-6 minutes, whisking constantly until cream is starting to thicken.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese about 1/2 cup at a time and whisk until it melts into the sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until the noodles are all well coated.
- Stir in the broccoli florets.
- Top the pasta with the chicken pieces.
- Season with freshly ground black or white pepper (optional).
- Garnish with extra finely grated Parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley.
Notes
- For a spicier version, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- This dish pairs well with garlic bread and a crisp salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg