Blackened Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Creamy Alfredo pasta tossed with blackened chicken for a quick, flavorful weeknight meal.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried pasta can use fettuccine or other pasta
- 16 ounces blackened chicken breast or blackened chicken thighs or tenders
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain and reserve a little pasta water if needed.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the blackened chicken; cook 1–2 minutes per side just until heated through, then remove and slice.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the pressed or minced garlic; cook until fragrant and bubbling, about 30–60 seconds.
- Add the heavy cream, softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, and Italian seasoning to the skillet and whisk until the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a rapid simmer; let it boil gently 1–2 minutes while stirring occasionally, then remove from heat — the sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Taste and season the sauce with salt and black pepper as needed, then toss the drained pasta with the Alfredo sauce (use reserved pasta water to loosen if necessary) and top with the sliced blackened chicken before serving.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Skillet
- Colander
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Whisk
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Notes
- Use any blackened chicken (breast, thighs, or tenders) per preference.
- Reserve a little pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.
- Softening the cream cheese first helps it incorporate smoothly.
- Add frozen peas to the colander and drain pasta over them to cook if desired.
- Steamed broccoli or sautéed vegetables can be stirred in with the pasta and sauce.