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Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta is an easy recipe that combines protein, carbs, and veggies in a simple homemade cream sauce. It's a perfect dish for creamy chicken pasta lovers!
If you're tired of dry, tasteless chicken breast recipes, then it's time to try different ways to cook chicken. In this creamy chicken and broccoli alfredo pasta, the chicken is moist and tender, as it is smothered in a creamy, white cheese alfredo sauce. This delicious family favorite dinner combines protein (chicken), carbs (pasta), veggies (broccoli) and a homemade creamy sauce.
This recipe has been repinned literally a million times, because it's simple and quick, with the amazing alfredo sauce made completely from scratch.
What do you put in Alfredo sauce?
Basic alfredo sauce recipe generally requires only heavy cream, garlic, Parmesan cheese, a little bit of butter. Garlic is always welcome, too.
What cheese to use in Alfredo sauce?
This recipe works with Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, all shredded. I use short pasta (penne) which I find is perfect for creamy sauces as it feels like you get more sauce with each bite.
How do you make Alfredo sauce without heavy cream?
You can make alfredo sauce with half-and-half or milk instead of heavy cream. If you do use half-and-half or milk, you will have to use more butter.
Other creamy chicken pasta recipes
If you liked this chicken broccoli alfredo pasta recipe, you will also enjoy these recipes:
- Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken, Broccoli, and Bacon - homemade alfredo sauce recipe with the addition of bacon!
- Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce - creamy pasta with the sun-dried tomato and basil cream sauce.
- Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Tomatoes and Spinach - in this recipe, sliced chicken breast and bacon are tossed with veggies and penne pasta in a delicious, creamy, homemade Alfredo sauce made with Parmesan cheese.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 ounces broccoli
- 8 ounces penne pasta (for gluten free, use gluten-free brown rice penne)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 lb chicken breast (1 large chicken breast)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ¼ cups Parmesan cheese, or Mozzarella cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook broccoli in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain well. Cut into small florets.
- Cook pasta al dente, drain.
- In a large skillet heat olive oil and butter on medium-high heat (until hot but not smoking) and saute chicken breast (seasoned generously with salt and pepper on both sides) for about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the skillet from heat, cover with the lid, and let the chicken rest, off heat, covered, until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and is completely cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Add minced garlic to the same skillet and cook it in chicken juices and oil remaining in the pan, scraping up the chicken bits from the bottom of the pan, on medium heat for about 30 seconds until garlic is fragrant, making sure to avoid burning. Add cooked and sliced broccoli and mix in with garlic. Remove from the pan.
- To make the creamy sauce, in the same skillet heat up 1 cup of heavy cream until it boils. Immediately add the cheese and stir until melted and creamy. Reduce heat to medium-low, and slowly, in small portions, add milk, constantly stirring, simmering, until a creamy consistency is reached.
- Add cooked pasta to the creamy sauce, then add broccoli. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with sliced, cooked chicken.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
The first time I made this, I used Monterey Jake cheese, and it was amazing! The second time my fiancé sujested we try it with mozzarella... What a mistake! It was clumpy and stringy! I recommend using a nice quality Monterey Jake or parmesan cheese.
I actually prefer making it with shredded Mozzarella (I use low-moisture, part-skim shredded Mozzarella) - works great! Make sure to bring the cream + milk to boil, ADD THE CHEESE, WHILE THE CREAM IS BOILING, stir WHILE THE CREAM IS BOILING AND THE CHEESE IS BUBBLING, until nice and creamy about 30 seconds. ONLY THEN, reduce to simmer, and continue stirring. I make creamy sauce like that with Mozzarella all the time and it works!
I've made this recipe many times and I use your advice every time now. It really does the trick! The only thing I change is I double the recipe. We can't get enough lol.
Thank you for sharing, and for the helpful advice!
I'm not sure why people are having trouble with the sauce, I made this tonight and it turned out perfectly. I also added some crimini mushrooms and it was wonderful.
I made this last night with bow tie pasta and it came out great. Some users have mentioned issues with their sauce coming out gloopy or the cheese not melting but I didn't have any problems. I just kept everything on low heat and stirred the mozzarella constantly so it blended into a thick sauce with the cream, then added the milk little by little. I actually thought it would be too watery at first but once I added the chicken, broccoli, and pasta it came together. Will definitely make again.
I made this earlier in the week and it was a complete mess. The cheese "sauce" wasn't so much a sauce as it was a glob of melted cheese with cream swishing around the pan. I should have used parmesan instead of mozerella or Monterey jack. I had to send my fiancé to the store to get more ingredients and I used a completely different recipe to make the alfredo sauce that actually worked. This was a good idea in theory, but horrible in execution.
You have to wait until the heavy cream starts to boil and immediately add the cheese and then work the rest of the milk in slowly on medium heat. I used mozzarella and it turned out great. Hope this helps.
What exactly is heavy cream? or what brand is this
Hi! Heavy cream is the same as "Whipping Cream". It's NOT half and half. You should have it in your dairy case 🙂
This was a mess. Should have used parmesan instead of the mozzarella or Monterrey jack. Had to send my Fiancé to the store to buy the *right* ingredients and had to start all over.
My cream sauce didnt work! All was wonderful until I added the cheese. It melted but never incorporated into the cream sauce. I had a lumpy clumpy mess:\ Did I maybe add it too fast?
I actually prefer making it with shredded Mozzarella (I use low-moisture, part-skim shredded Mozzarella) - works great! Make sure to bring the cream + milk to boil, ADD THE CHEESE, WHILE THE CREAM IS BOILING, stir WHILE THE CREAM IS BOILING AND THE CHEESE IS BUBBLING, until nice and creamy about 30 seconds. ONLY THEN, reduce to simmer, and continue stirring. I make creamy sauce like that with Mozzarella all the time and it works! Also, the patience is key here, keep stirring on low simmer and even if you have a clump of the cheese - it will melt, it will melt even faster if you increase heat a little bit, just be patient and keep stirring. Just to repeat myself - even the clump of cheese in a cream is easily fixable by stirring on low-medium heat!
Agree with Katie. I made it but my cheese was one big gloppy mess. Not sure what went wrong but maybe I will try next time to make the cream sauce like I make my mac and cheese sauce, starting with a roux then adding the milk and cheese.
To make a really goood Sause make a roe and add about 2 tbs of flour to butter. I would add less garlic and add some onion to.
This looks so good!!!
Does this freeze well?
What can I use if I don't have cream in hand?
You can make your own heavy cream. 1/3 cup unsalted butter 2/3 cup whole milk
It was tasty, but my cream sauce didn't work out at all. I have made many cream sauces, and this one seemed different. My mozzarella just melted and clumped together so that I had a few huge globs of cheese and watery cream sauce. Suggestions? I'd like to fix issue and use recipe again in the future because my boys loved it.
I had the same problem with the sauce have blobs of cheese. Otherwise, I thought it was tastey.
Next time, use grated Parmesan or Asiago. Soft cheeses tend to clump together in a sauce.
When I started cooking at 10, I had the same issue. Now I am 13, after lots of practaicing you will find ratios that will work better for your skills and skill levels!
Cheese needs to be melted slowly on lower heat. If you have your heat too high the liquids and solids will separate and the solids will harden and not melt.
Use a whisk!
I would try adding small amounts, and whisking as you go. I would also suggest not using pre-shredded mozzarella, often whatever they put in it to preserve it also makes it glob and not melt easily.
I used white cheddar and parmesan instead of mozzarella it worked out great for me.
You're recipes are great for teaching teenagers how to cook! Thanks for making so many easy to recreate recipes that are also easy to follow!!
Thanks for sharing this fantastic pasta recipe, Julia.
It's healthy, tasty and easy to prepare and of course on my to do list for the weekend.
You make this sound so easy! It is all made in one pot and it is a creamy treat! Love this, Julia! Pinned!