This quick and easy chicken fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli is a one-pan dinner with big pasta night potential. I make it with tender broccoli florets, juicy chicken, and al dente fettuccine tossed together in my silky homemade Alfredo sauce.
Like my cheesy chicken broccoli pasta and creamy lemon chicken fettuccine, this chicken broccoli Alfredo is another favorite meal that’s ready in 25 minutes!
I’ve turned my creamy chicken Alfredo with broccoli into an easy, one-pan pasta dinner. I made this chicken fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli recently when the temperatures outside had us craving something rich and comforting. After humming and hawing with the fridge open for a bit, a package of chicken breasts and a carton of cream sparked some inspiration, and here we are. Less than 30 minutes later, this chicken pasta tossed with tender broccoli and the creamiest Alfredo sauce definitely hit the spot!
Reasons I Love This Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo With Broccoli
- Quick. You cook the broccoli, chicken, and sauce in the same pan. Just 25 minutes on the stovetop is all it takes. With Valentine’s Day coming up, I’m already thinking this would make a great date night meal…
- Rich and creamy. There’s something about creamy, cheesy Alfredo sauce that’s ultra-comforting. It makes any dinner taste restaurant-worthy, and it’s very simple to make.
- One pan. My #1 favorite thing about one-pot pasta recipes is that clean-up is SPEEDY. There’s one pan to wash, plus the pot used to boil the pasta in this case. My kind of weeknight meal!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Let’s kickstart this recipe with a look at the ingredients, with some quick notes and substitutions. Scroll to the printable recipe card for the full recipe amounts and details. You’ll also find visual step-by-step instructions on how to make this chicken pasta below the recipe card.
- Fettuccine Pasta – For a classic fettuccine Alfredo. Or, you can make this recipe with any long or short pasta type you’d like. Other good options are linguine, tagliatelle, penne, rigatoni, etc.
- Olive Oil – Or another oil, like avocado oil, for sautéeing.
- Broccoli – Chopped into florets. I find this chicken Alfredo turns out the best with fresh broccoli. If you use frozen broccoli, be sure to thaw and drain it first. It’ll also need a shorter cooking time.
- Chicken – I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but chicken thighs or cutlets also work. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Butter – This can be salted or unsalted. You could substitute butter with extra olive oil if needed.
- Heavy Cream – I don’t recommend substituting milk or a low-fat alternative in this recipe, since milk tends to separate in high heat.
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, plus garlic powder (or onion powder) and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Parmesan – Freshly grated parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese has the best texture and flavor.
Tips and Variations
- Quality matters. You can’t make a great pasta dish without high-quality pasta. Look for 100% durum wheat semolina pasta (ideally slow-dried) with a rough texture that the sauce can cling to.
- Adjust the consistency. If your Alfredo sauce is too thick, add more pasta water a couple of spoonfuls at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
- Taste for seasoning. Because the pasta water is already salty, taste the Alfredo sauce before adding additional salt and pepper.
- Use leftover chicken. You can make this chicken fettuccine with broccoli using leftover baked chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken. In this case, you can skip the step where you cook the chicken pieces in the skillet.
- Different protein. Instead of chicken, make an Alfredo pasta with steak or shrimp Alfredo with broccoli.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Refrigerate. Store leftover fettuccine chicken broccoli Alfredo airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat. Warm this chicken pasta in the microwave or on the stovetop. I recommend stirring in a little water or milk when reheating to help loosen up the Alfredo sauce.
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Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions.
Prepare the broccoli. Rinse the broccoli florets before use and drain them well.
Cook the broccoli. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli florets and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes. Then add ¼ cup of water and cook for 4 more minutes. Remove the broccoli from the skillet and set aside.
Cook the chicken. Cut the chicken meat into bite-size pieces. Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet where you cooked your broccoli. Add the chicken pieces and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to the same bowl as the broccoli florets.
Make the sauce. Melt butter in the same skillet where you cooked your chicken. Add heavy cream, garlic powder, and a pinch of nutmeg. Scrape any browned bits from the skillet. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer, then stir in freshly grated parmesan. Turn the heat to low.
Add pasta water. At this point, your pasta should be cooked. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Add pasta water to the cream sauce and whisk it until well combined. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning (salt and pepper) if needed.
Put it all together. Add the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken back into the skillet with the Alfredo sauce. Toss gently to incorporate all the ingredients, ensuring everything is evenly coated in the sauce.
Serve. Serve the pasta warm, with some extra parmesan cheese if desired.
- This recipe works best with fresh broccoli. You can use frozen broccoli, but thaw it and drain well before use. Also, adjust the cooking time.
- For the best pasta dish, use quality pasta.
- If your sauce is too thick, add more pasta water.
- Because pasta water is salty, always taste the Alfredo sauce before you season it additionally.
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 780kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 450mg | Potassium: 773mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1553IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 242mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Fettuccine Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Traditional Alfredo recipes start with béchamel, a combination of butter, flour, and milk that creates the creamy base for the sauce. We’re skipping the flour in this broccoli chicken Alfredo, but keeping all that silky-smooth texture! Here’s how to make it:
- Cook the pasta. Boil the fettuccine in salted water according to the directions on the package. Before you drain the pasta, set aside 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. You’ll use it later when making the sauce!
- Prepare the broccoli. In the meantime, rinse and drain the broccoli florets. Then, sauté the broccoli in a hot skillet with oil, salt, and pepper. After 3 minutes, pour in ¼ cup of water and steam the florets for another 4 minutes before setting the broccoli aside on a plate.
- Sear the chicken. Add your chicken pieces to the same skillet with additional olive oil. Season to taste, and cook, stirring every so often, until the chicken is browned on all sides. Transfer the chicken to the plate with the broccoli.
- Make the sauce. Now, melt butter in your skillet and add the heavy cream, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Stir and bring that to a low simmer, and sprinkle in fresh parmesan. Remember that cup of pasta water from earlier? Add that in now, too, and stir well.
- Put it all together. Lastly, you’ll add the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken back to the pan. Toss everything together with the Alfredo sauce and serve warm, topped with extra parm.
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