Your taste buds will be so happy with this delightfully rich and creamy Chicken Broccoli Alfredo. A family-friendly meal that’s ready in about 30 minutes!
Cook a batch of my Cheater Garlic Bread to complete this easy weeknight pasta dinner.
Truth be told, traditional alfredo sauce made with heavy cream and copious amounts of butter is too rich for my taste buds. The first bite is heavenly but after that, I can only manage a forkful or two. My boys, on the other hand, have no problem demolishing a huge plateful.
My desire to please everyone was the inspiration behind this Chicken Broccoli Alfredo recipe with a perfectly creamy but lightened up sauce. The addition of lean protein, and fresh broccoli make it super satisfying without being overly indulgent.
There is a delicate balance to dialing down fat without compromising texture in a cream sauce recipe but I think this recipe nails it.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces.
- Broccoli: I strongly recommend going with fresh broccoli florets but you can substitute frozen broccoli in a pinch. Cut the florets down into smaller bite-size pieces.
- Dry pasta: I love to use a curly pasta like fusilli because the tight curls hold on to the sauce really well. A short pasta like penne, bowtie, rigatoni, or even pasta shells would all work well. Long pasta like linguine or fettucine are a classic choice with alfredo sauce.
- For the roux: Every classic alfredo sauce starts with a roux and this one is no different. It consists of equal parts butter and flour and some minced garlic adds flavor.
- Milk and/or half-and-half: You can use a combination of 2% milk, whole, milk, and half-and-half
- Seasoning: All-purpose seasoning, like Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Parmesan cheese: Finely grated. To avoid making a mess of your box grater, avoid using the side with the finest grate with Parmesan. Instead, grate it a bit larger and then work the grated Parmesan with your fingers to break it down.
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- Cook the pasta and broccoli: Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions for al dente. During the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the broccoli, cooking until the broccoli is bright green and just barely fork tender. Transfer the pasta and broccoli to a colander to drain.
- Cook the chicken: In a large, deep skillet, sauté the chicken in olive oil. Season it with all purpose seasoning and pepper until it’s cooked through and light golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
- Make the roux: Wipe the skillet clean, return it to medium-low heat and add the butter. When it melts, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute or until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, for another minute or two.
- Add dairy: Gradually add the milk (and/or half-and-half). See my tips below for deciding how much of each to add to reach the level of richness you’d like.
- Thicken and season: Cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce the heat and add the garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Parmesan, stirring until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Finish: Add the cooked pasta, broccoli and chicken to the alfredo sauce in the skillet and toss to combine everything well. Top with additional Parmesan cheese before serving.
Tips for the Best Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh broccoli, garlic, and parmesan will make a big difference in the overall flavor and texture. Avoid pre-grated parmesan because it lacks the rich, creamy meltability of freshly grated cheese.
Richness: You can go as rich or as light as you’d like with this recipe. Depending on how I’m feeling at the moment, I will make this sauce entirely with 2% milk for a very lightened up sauce or all half-and-half for a sauce in the richer end of the spectrum. I’ve found the sweet spot to be equal parts 2% milk and half-and-half. Whole milk is a nice compromise, if you happen to have it in your fridge.
Consistency: If after simmering your sauce is too thick, add a little additional milk or half-and-half to thin it, as needed. You can also accomplish this by adding a bit of the starchy pasta water.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Use Airtight Containers: Store the leftovers in airtight containers to ensure it will stay as fresh as possible and prevent the pasta from drying out.
Meal Prep: Divide the recipe into smaller portions before storing. This makes it easier to reheat only what you need, reducing the chance of overcooking the entire batch.
Freezing: If you won’t be eating the leftovers within a few days, freeze them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Add a splash of milk or half-and-half to restore the creamy consistency of the sauce. Reheat slowly, using low heat on the stove or in the microwave. Stir occasionally to distribute the heat and avoid separating the sauce.
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Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry fusilli or rotini
- 12 ounces broccoli florets, chopped small
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 to 1¼ pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon all purpose seasoning, like Lawry's Seasoned Salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk, 2%, whole, or half-and-half (I use 1 cup 2% and 1 cup half-and-half)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions for al dente. During the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the broccoli, cooking until the broccoli is bright green and just barely fork tender. Transfer the pasta and broccoli to a colander to drain.
- Meanwhile, cut the chicken into ½ inch bite size pieces. Heat the oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM heat. Add the chicken and season it with all purpose seasoning and pepper. Sauté until the chicken is cooked through and just lightly golden (not browned). Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean, add the butter, and melt it over MEDIUM-LOW heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute or until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, for a minute or two. Gradually add the milk (and/or half-and-half) and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened. Reduce the heat to LOW and add the garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Remove the pan from the heat and add ½ cup Parmesan and stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a little additional milk or half-and-half to thin it, as needed.
- Add the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken to the alfredo sauce in the skillet and toss to combine well. Top with additional Parmesan cheese before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
This post was originally published on April 2, 2014. It has been updated with new text and images.
I have a BJ’s membership…but I’m thinking Costco is also in my future 🙂 Love your blog!!!
Thanks so much, Gail!
How tasty! I didn`t grow up eating pasta with a cream-based sauce, since I mostly ate an Asian palate. So, many cream based pasta sauce is too think for my liking. This sounds heavenly, though!! I love chicken and broccoli in my pasta. 😉
I am exactly the same way about cream sauces…I try not to overindulge, but the guys in the family eat HUGE bowls. So your recipe is the perfect compromise…less guilt for me and delicious pasta for us all!
Oh wow! This looks so yummy Valerie! Not light at all! Pinned 🙂
Hi Trish! Thanks so much 🙂
Looks so yummy! I wish I had your willpower, because I’ve done everything BUT avoid alfredo in my adult life. :/ Could be why I’ve changed jean sizes a couple of times between 18 and almost-26. :/ Your recipe looks amazing, and I can’t wait to try it! Thanks so much for sharing!!! 🙂
I can exert my willpower when it comes to certain things but others, forget it! I hope it works out well for you if you give it a try.