Creamy Chicken Alfredo with Seasoned Broth Pasta
This creamy chicken alfredo is my best homemade recipe yet. I like making this when my friends are over and want to show off my cooking skills.
Equipment
Large saucepan or stockpot (6-quart / 5.7L minimum)
Colander
Instant-read thermometer
Large mixing bowl
Microwave-safe dish
Slotted spoon
Ingredients
6 cups water - approximately 1.4L
1 lb penne pasta - uncooked, 450g- 1 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Cajun-Creole seasoning
- 3 pieces chicken bouillon cubes
2 teaspoons butter - 10g- ½ cup Italian dressing - 120ml, approximately half a standard 16 oz bottle
1 lb ground chicken - 450g, also labelled minced chicken- 2 jars parmesan-garlic Alfredo sauce - 15 oz / 425g each
- 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican white cheese blend - such as Oaxaca or queso quesadilla, approximately 170g
Instructions
- Fill a large saucepan or stockpot (at least 6-quart / 5.7L) with approximately 6 cups (1.4L) of water.6 cups water
- Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, lemon pepper seasoning, Cajun-Creole seasoning, chicken bouillon cubes, butter, and Italian dressing. Stir to dissolve the bouillon cubes and bring to a boil.1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning, 1 tablespoon Cajun-Creole seasoning, 3 pieces chicken bouillon cubes, 2 teaspoons butter, 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- Add the ground chicken, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has absorbed the seasoned liquid. Check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C.1 lb ground chicken
- Remove chicken from seasoned liquid with a slotted spoon and set aside.1 lb ground chicken
- Bring the liquid back to a rolling boil and add uncooked penne pasta.1 lb penne pasta
- Cook the pasta for approximately 12 to 14 minutes until pasta is cooked to your liking; you might have to add a little more water for this step, don't overdo it!1 lb penne pasta
- Drain pasta, keeping any liquid to use later for chicken soup stock!1 lb penne pasta
- Mix the chicken with Alfredo sauce and the Mexican white cheese.1 lb ground chicken, 2 jars parmesan-garlic Alfredo sauce, 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican white cheese blend
- Heat the chicken-sauce-cheese mixture in a microwave-safe dish in 60-second bursts, stirring between each, until heated through to 165°F / 74°C (use an instant-read thermometer to confirm).1 lb ground chicken, 2 jars parmesan-garlic Alfredo sauce, 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican white cheese blend
- Serve the Alfredo chicken sauce over the drained penne, or set the pasta and sauce out separately so guests can portion to their preference — some prefer more sauce, others less.1 lb penne pasta
- If the sauce is too thick, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid until you reach your desired consistency.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate the chicken-and-sauce mixture in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Store cooked pasta separately to prevent it going soft.
Freezing: The sauce mixture freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Do not freeze the cooked pasta.
Make-ahead: Undercook the pasta by 2 minutes if prepping ahead, store it separately from the sauce, and combine just before reheating.
Reheating: Microwave in 60-second bursts, stirring between each, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C throughout.
Pro tip: Save the drained cooking liquid — it's essentially a seasoned chicken stock and makes an excellent base for soup the next day.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 670kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 36gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 3370mgPotassium: 611mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 406IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 2mg
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