Pasta Alfredo con Pollo is a quick and delicious Italian recipe that is enjoyed worldwide. It is full of flavor and can be ready to serve in less than 30 minutes. I like using fettuccine as the pasta for this dish because it has the right texture that goes with the alfredo and chicken.
What is Pasta alfredo con pollo?
Pasta Alfredo con Pollo is Italian for “pasta alfredo with chicken”. In this recipe I use fettuccine which is very popular to use with an alfredo sauce. The pasta is covered in a white cream sauce with pieces of cooked chicken throughout.
The name fettuccine literally translates into “small ribbon” or “little slice”. It is believed to have originated in Italy, from the Lazio region.
As for the fettuccine shape itself, it is a long pasta and slightly wider and thicker than linguini. It is an excellent choice for cream sauces like this recipe because it holds the sauce very well on the noodles. Not all stores carry fettuccine, so if you’re unsure, you can use fettuccine or linguini.
About the Alfredo Sauce
Alfredo is an Italian white cream sauce that uses butter and olive oil as the base. It is seasoned with garlic and contains milk and cheese. Just like fettuccine, the roots trace back to Rome, Italy by Alfredo Di Lelio who ran his own restaurant. However, we’ve modified his original recipe by adding milk while he just used pasta water.
Ingredients
There are just a handful of ingredients necessary for making this delicious fettuccine alfredo con pollo recipe!
- Chicken (Pollo) -leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken works great
- Fettuccine – you can also use other similar pasta
- Butter – use unsalted if you can
- Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Milk – I use whole milk
- Parmesan cheese
How to Make Pasta Alfredo con Pollo
This pasta recipe is very easy to make. Here are the general steps. You can get the exact measurements further below in the recipe section.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the fettuccine. Cook according to package instructions.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the sliced chicken breasts. The chicken can be sliced into two-inch strips. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and there is no pink.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
Then add the butter to the olive oil.
When the butter has melted, lower the heat to low and add in the chopped garlic.
Stir the garlic and let cook for 2 minutes.
Add the milk and stir well to incorporate the butter and olive oil mixture.
Let it cook for about 5 minutes.
Next, gradually add in the Parmesan cheese and continue to stir frequently. If it starts to separate, lower the heat even further to simmer.
Return the chicken to the pan and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to heat through.
When the fettuccine is ready, save some pasta cooking water in a cup off to the side in case we need it.
Drain the fettuccine and add to the alfredo con pollo.
Stir so the pasta noodles are covered with the alfredo sauce.
Pasta Alfredo con Pollo Tips
This alfredo con pollo recipe is not a dish where the chicken and pasta are swimming in a white sauce. Instead the sauce is enough to coat the noodles lightly.
Once you add the cheese to the sauce, you will need to frequently stir the sauce. Otherwise, it will start to clump and separate. If this occurs just give it a stir and add drop of water if needed.
Use the reserved pasta water to add to the sauce in case the dish is a little dry after mixing the fettuccine with the alfredo sauce and chicken.
Do not use large chunks of chicken. Instead use smaller thinner slices that are easy to pierce when eating the pasta.
How to Store Fettuccine Alfredo con Pollo
If you have leftovers, simply store the fettuccine with the alfredo and chicken in an airtight container. It will last up to 3 days in the fridge. You’ll notice as the alfredo cools, it becomes a little clumpy. So if you want to know how to reheat alfredo sauce, all you need to do is add the pasta and sauce to a pan and heat over low on the stove. Add in a ¼ cup of water and stir until the sauce has loosened and heated through.
Can You Use Pre-cooked Chicken?
The answer is yes! In fact, it’s a great way to use up leftover roasted chicken. You can also used canned chicken which I mention next.
How to Make Chicken Alfredo using Canned Chicken?
A quick and easy way to add chicken to the alfredo recipe is simply to use canned chicken. Follow the recipe as I have here, but drain the canned chicken and add it to the alfredo sauce 3 minutes before mixing it with the fettuccine .
Other Similar Pasta Recipes
Mushroom Alfredo: For a vegetarian option, try replacing the chicken with sautéed mushrooms for a flavorful twist.
Ricotta Cheese Pasta: If you enjoy the creaminess of ricotta cheese, explore our pasta recipe featuring this delightful ingredient.
Pasta with lemon and asparagus: This recipe uses a light alfredo sauce that is perfect for a refreshing pasta dish.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my recipe for Pasta Alfredo con Pollo! Let me know in the comments below if you tried it and how you made it your own!
Pasta Alfredo con Pollo (Chicken)
Ingredients
- 2 cups sliced chicken breasts in 2 inch slices
- 2 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 minced cloves of garlic
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 8 oz fettuccine pasta or other suitable pasta
Instructions
- Cook pasta in boiling water according to package instructions. When done reserve some of the pasta water and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying or saute pan over medium heat
- If cooking chicken, add the chicken slices to the oil and cook 2-3 minutes on each side, or until chicken pieces are fully cooked through. Set aside when done.
- In the same pan, add butter to the olive oil and let it melt and reduce heat to Low.
- Add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the milk and stir to combine and heat through, about 3-4 minutes. Stirring frequently so it doesn't separate.
- Then gradually add in the cheese stirring constantly until it is thickened.
- Return the chicken to the pan to allow to reheat. Keep the stove set to low heat.
- When pasta is ready, don't forget to reserve some of the pasta water just in case we need it later if the pasta becomes dry.
- Add the pasta to the pan and stir so that the alfredo sauce is on the chicken.
- Serve warm and top with some fresh parsley.
Notes
- To reduce fat and calories, cut the milk in half and compensate with some pasta water.
- Sometimes the pasta and alfredo may solidify as it sits. Just add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen and smooth the sauce.
- For a vegetarian alfredo, just omit the chicken.
