Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

By Rena Awada | Updated On June 14, 2023

This Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo recipe is so creamy, luscious, and full of flavor. Loaded with chicken breast and the perfect healthy pasta dinner recipe the whole family will enjoy.

top view chicken alfredo in a white bowl


This is a light version of the traditional fettuccine alfredo normally made at restaurants. Made without any butter and heavy cream and we used cream cheese and milk instead. Simple, filling, full of flavor, and perfect for everyone including kids. This alfredo is topped with sliced chicken breast and drizzles with more parmesan cheese. You can use a healthier pasta option like chickpea and lentil pasta for an even healthier pasta dinner recipe.

Why you will love this fettuccine Alfredo

  • Perfect for the whole family: This is a meal we guarantee everyone will love. Young, old, and in between.
  • Healthier than restaurant Alfredo pasta: No heavy cream and butter to leave you feeling so heavy. Made healthier with cream cheese and milk.
  • So good: There’s so much flavor in this creamy fettuccine pasta. You will love how delicious it is.

Ingredients you will need

These are just a list of ingredients you will need to make this chicken Alfredo recipe. The full measurements are listed further down below.

  • fettuccine pasta: GF if needed
  • chicken breast
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil
  • milk of choice
  • gluten-free flour or cornstarch
  • garlic cloves
  • cream cheese
  • chicken broth
  • parmesan cheese
  • fresh parsley to garnish
ingredients for chicken alfredo

How to make chicken fettuccine alfredo from scratch

  • Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente.
  • Season and cook the chicken: Next, season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides. Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the oil. Cook chicken for 6-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through and internal temp reaches 165F.
  • Set aside and allow the chicken to rest until you make the sauce, then slice it.
  • Make the Alfredo sauce: In a small bowl whisk the milk and flour until no visible lumps. To the same skillet over medium heat, add garlic and cook for no more than 1 minute. Stir in the milk mixture together with cream cheese and broth. Whisk continuously until the sauce is smooth and bubbly, 2-3 minutes. Toss the parmesan cheese and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Combine everything and serve: Once the sauce has thickened stir in the sliced chicken, cooked pasta, parmesan, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Serve and enjoy.
top view chicken alfredo in a white bowl

Recipe tips, notes, and substitutes

  • Pasta: we use fettuccine pasta, but you may use any pasta you have handy. want to make an even healthier chicken Alfredo? use lentil pasta or zoodles.
  • Chicken: chicken breasts are leaner and preferred in this recipe. you may substitute it with boneless chicken thighs or use a completely different protein or try shrimp.
  • Milk: we used 2 % milk. You may use any milk on hand or even dairy-free milk.
  • Garlic: using fresh garlic is ideal, but you may substitute it with 1 tablespoon of garlic powder if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Cream cheese: use light cream cheese if possible.
  • Broth: you may use vegetable broth or if you don’t have any broth, use water.
  • Do not overcook the pasta and make sure they are al-dente. Do not rinse the pasta either. It will help with how thick and creamy the Alfredo come out.
  • For a thicker consistency, you may reserve some of the pasta water and add it in once you add the noodles.
  • Garnish with some fresh basil, oregano, or any other fresh herbs, for a flavor boost to this alfresco dish.
  • To add more veggies to this chicken alfredo, consider adding some fresh broccoli or mushrooms.
top view alfredo topped with sliced chicken

frequently asked questions

What goes with Chicken Alfredo?

Chicken Alfredo is a complete meal on its own. But if you would like to pair it up with a side dish, it would be best to serve it with some added veggies. Try it with this roasted parmesan asparagus or these honey-glazed carrots. You may also serve it with some soup like this Middle Eastern red lentil soup or this Roasted tomato soup.

How do you season chicken for Alfredo?

For this chicken Alfredo, we kept the seasoning simple. Just salt and pepper. You may take it a step further and add some oregano and basil, Italian seasoning, or some paprika.

Can you use milk instead of cream in Alfredo sauce?

Alfredo sauce is typically made with heavy cream. It’s been adapted from the original version using milk for a lighter Alfredo option. Using milk to make the sauce will be just as good but just lighter and with fewer calories.

How to store chicken, Alfredo?

Place the leftover chicken Alfredo in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds when ready to serve.

top view chicken alfredo in a white bowl

Other easy pasta recipes to try

top view chicken alfredo in a white bowl

If you try a recipe and you like it, leave us some feedback in the comment section below, and don’t forget to rate it! We would love it if you shared it with friends and family.

Finally, please use our hashtag #healthyfitnessmeals on INSTAGRAM for a chance to be featured! FOLLOW Healthy Fitness Meals on FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TWITTER for all of our latest blog posts and recipes.

top view chicken alfredo in a white bowl

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Classic fettuccine Alfredo coated with a homemade sauce made cream cheese, parmesan cheese, milk, garlic, and then topped with sliced chicken.
4.97 from 30 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 600kcal
Author: Rena

Ingredients

  • 8 oz fettuccine pasta GF if needed
  • 2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise (6 oz each)
  • Kosher salt & ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup milk of choice
  • 1/2 tbsp GF flour or cornstarch
  • 2 large cloves garlic minced
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened or at room temp
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • Fresh parsley chopped – to garnish

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, and cook the pasta according to package directions to al-dente.
  • Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat and add in the oil. Cook chicken for 6-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through and internal temp reaches 165F.
  • Set aside and allow the chicken to rest until you make the sauce, then slice it.
  • In a small bowl whisk the milk and flour until no visible lumps.
  • To the same skillet over medium heat, add garlic and cook for no more than 1 minute. Stir in the milk mixture together with cream cheese and broth. Whisk continuously until the sauce is smooth and bubbly, 2-3 minutes. Add the parmesan cheese and allow it to cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Once the sauce has thickened stir in the sliced chicken, cooked pasta, parmesan and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Video

Notes

  • Pasta: we use fettuccine pasta, but you may use any pasta you have handy. want to make an even healthier chicken Alfredo? use lentil pasta or zoodles.
  • Chicken: chicken breasts are leaner and preferred in this recipe. you may substitute it with boneless chicken thighs or use a completely different protein or try shrimp.
  • Milk: we used 2 % milk. You may use any milk on hand or even dairy-free milk.
  • Garlic: using fresh garlic is ideal, but you may substitute it with 1 tablespoon of garlic powder if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Cream cheese: use light cream cheese if possible.
  • Broth: you may use vegetable broth or if you don’t have any broth, use water.
  • Do not overcook the pasta and make sure they are al-dente. Do not rinse the pasta either. It will help with how thick and creamy the Alfredo come out.

Nutrition

Calories: 600kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 661mg | Potassium: 727mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 726IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 420mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @HealthyFitnessMeals or tag #HealthyFitnessMeals!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diane says

    5 stars
    Family loved it. Still pretty high in calories but nowhere near the full fat version and you can’t tell the difference.

  2. Emmett says

    5 stars
    Wasn’t sure how the cream cheese was going to go, but it went great! This is absolutely delicious and super easy. Also makes enough for extra lunches! 10/10

  3. Colleen says

    5 stars
    SO good and much better than the buttery ones I used to make. I added cream instead of the milk, and used cooked chicken from the store.

    • Nicole Carr says

      The ingredients list 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, but the instructions don’t list include when to add it. My sauce was thin too until I realized it was missing the cup of cheese. I added it in after step 6.

      • Cindy says

        5 stars
        Hi I just made this recipe for dinner tonight, and Wow was it delicious!! I definitely will make this again, and add it to my favourites!! The only change I made was that I baked the chicken breast first in the oven and sliced it over the dish at the end. Thankyou for sharing this recipe!!

  4. LaToya says

    5 stars
    I made this Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine on yesterday 5/23/21. It was really easy to make. And it was absolutely delicious! Very tasty! I will definitely be serving this dish again. My family loved it! Thank you so much!

Leave A Reply

Recipe Rating