This Creamy Chicken Alfredo Pasta is such a great weeknight dinner idea for the whole family. Perfectly seasoned with a zesty homemade alfredo sauce, chicken, chopped vegetables and creamy pasta!
If you love easy pasta recipes like we do, try our Chicken Fajita Pasta too.
Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta
If you haven’t made homemade chicken alfredo before, don’t worry, my recipe is so simple and tastes like it’s out of a gourmet restaurant! You can add different flavors to my homemade alfredo sauce, like sun dried tomatoes or even salsa for a Mexican version. You’re going to love it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Perfect Weeknight Dinner! It makes a great weeknight dinner or weekend meal.
- Recipe For All. Kids as well as adults love this recipe.
- Easy To Make. It’s not only easy to make, it’s delicious and makes great leftovers.
Try my Chicken Caprese Pasta Bake recipe too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
Ingredients Needed For Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make chicken alfredo pasta at home. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details and instructions.
- Small Spiral Dry Pasta– Any small-medium size pasta shape you’d like works great for this dish. Rotini spirals are usually what I use.
- Salted Butter– You’ll use butter to prepare the homemade alfredo sauce. I generally use salted butter for my cooking and baking, but unsalted will work just fine too.
- Cream Cheese– Cream cheese is used to prepare the homemade alfredo sauce. I use the full fat version for best results.
- Heavy Whipping Cream– Heavy whipping cream is used in the homemade alfredo sauce as well. I don’t recommend any substitutions here.
- Parmesan cheese– Parmesan cheese is a big part of the flavor of the alfredo sauce. Grated Parmesan cheese works great and melts nicely in the sauce.
- Ranch Dressing seasoning packet– Find this seasoning packet in the salad dressing section of the grocery store. It brings a unique flavor that goes nicely in this sauce.
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper– I prefer fresh cracked pepper in my recipes, regular black pepper is fine as well.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil– The oil is used to saute the onion. Make sure your heat doesn’t get too high.
- White Onion– I love added chopped white onions to many of my dinner recipes. Brings a nice layer of flavor.
- Cooked Chicken– In most cases when my recipes state for cooked chicken, I use a Rotisserie chicken that I shred to use for recipes. They’re usually found under a heater display at the grocery store.
- Fresh Cilantro– Cilantro is so aromatic and great in this dinner recipe.
- Cherry Tomatoes– Cherry tomatoes add color and a little crunch to the pasta recipe.
How To Make Chicken Alfredo
Cook Pasta. I generally cook my pasta one minute less than package says so that my pasta stays al dente. Drain and set aside for a moment.
Prepare Alfredo Sauce. To prepare homemade alfredo sauce, place butter, cream cheese and heavy whipping cream into a large skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and whisk until melted and combined. Whisk in Parmesan cheese, Ranch seasoning and black pepper. Reduce heat to low and stir until creamy and thickened.
Saute Onions. Place olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, saute onion for 5 minutes or until softened.
Add Chicken and Pasta to Alfredo Sauce. Add chicken, stirring until hot. Transfer cooked pasta, onions and chicken to alfredo sauce, stirring to combine. Stir in cilantro. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and more chopped cilantro.
Tips How To Cook Perfect Pasta
Here are tips on how to cook perfect pasta!
- Use a large pot. Pick a roomy pot that gives the pasta plenty of space to move.
- Load up the pot with lots of water. You want five or six quarts for a standard package of pasta.
- Salt the water. Then salt, salt, and salt again! Don’t just give a single tap of the shaker—you want to use at least a tablespoon.
- Bring the water to a full, rolling boil
- Keep stirring. The benefit: Occasionally stirring the pot will keep your pasta from clumping.
- Test the pasta two minutes before it’s “ready” No matter your preference, it’s better to err on the side of al dente, as overcooked pasta will break down and become mush.
Garnish with quartered cherry tomatoes if desired. Love the color it brings and I add a couple more sprinkles of chopped cilantro before serving.
How To Serve
Serve pasta for dinner any night of the week! It’s a good one to bookmark for a quick dinner idea. Serve with a side salad if desired.
Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How To Reheat
Reheat pasta in a bowl, loosely covered with plastic wrap in the microwave for 60-90 seconds, until hot. Add a splash of milk to loosen sauce.
Try More Delicious Pasta Recipes
Creamy Chicken Alfredo Taco Pasta
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or large pot
- Large Skillet/Fry Pan
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- chef knife
- cutting board
- Stove
- mixing spoon
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 pound small pasta
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
- 1 stick salted butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese don’t use low-fat
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 teaspoon Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped white onion
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken I used a rotisserie chicken
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes for garnish
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. I generally cook one minute less than package says so that my pasta stays al dente. Drain and set aside for a moment.
- To prepare homemade alfredo sauce, place butter, cream cheese and heavy whipping cream into a large skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and whisk until melted and combined. Whisk in Parmesan cheese, Ranch seasoning and black pepper. Reduce heat to low and stir until creamy and thickened.
- Place olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, saute onion for 5 minutes or until softened. Add chicken, stirring until hot. Transfer cooked pasta, onions and chicken to alfredo sauce, stirring to combine. Stir in ground cumin and cilantro. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and more chopped cilantro.
Nutrition
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This is so good, I’ve made it 3-4 times now. Instead of cumin I add a package of Saxon Goya, it really makes this dish amazing! ❤️
Sounds delicious. Saved to Yummly. (I will have to make with brown rice for slower carbs than pasta.)
Holy Cow ! That looks great but so unhealthy but good. I would put out bowls ot taco toppings to add to the fun