Creamy Chicken Alfredo with Penne (Printable)
Tender chicken and penne pasta tossed in a rich, silky Parmesan cream sauce. Ready in 40 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb), cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz penne pasta
→ Dairy
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 2 cups heavy cream
06 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1/2 cup whole milk
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
03 - In the same skillet, lower heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and milk, stirring to combine. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Gradually stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with a pinch of nutmeg, additional salt, and pepper to taste.
06 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet, add drained penne, and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a splash at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
07 - Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce uses both cream and milk creating this magical velvety texture that coats each piece of pasta perfectly without being overwhelmingly rich.
- You can prepare everything in about 40 minutes which makes this feel like a restaurant quality meal you can pull off even when youre exhausted after work.
02 -
- Always reserve some pasta cooking water before draining, as its loaded with starch that can rescue a sauce thats too thick or help bind one thats separating.
- If your sauce looks thin at first, be patient before adding thickeners as it will naturally tighten up as it cools slightly and the pasta absorbs some moisture.
03 -
- If youre cooking for someone who needs to restrict dairy, you can create a surprisingly good version using cashew cream in place of the heavy cream and nutritional yeast to replace some of the Parmesan.
- When reheating leftovers, add a splash of milk to the pasta before warming it gently on the stove, which prevents the sauce from separating or becoming gluey.