Easy Chicken Linguine Alfredo

You’ll love this easy Chicken Linguine Alfredo recipe that features seasoned pieces of chicken nestled in a scratch Alfredo Sauce served with tender linguine noodles.

This is a great recipe that’s ready in about 30-minutes!

It’s similar to Chicken Fettuccine in that it features Alfredo sauce, but instead of flat fettuccine noodles, we’re using linguine noodles!

This is one of our favorite family dinners and it’s oh-so-much-better-than the Olive Garden Grilled Chicken and Alfredo Sauce! And you don’t have to leave the house to get restaurant-quality Italian food!

You’ll love this recipe!

I usually serve this with a crisp Caesar salad, steam asparagus or broccoli and some garlic bread.

Quick and easy chicken lingune alfredo is a recipe you’ll make time and time again!

• All-natural, no additives or ingredients you can’t pronounce
• Everything cooks at the same time so it goes lickety-split

How to cook the chicken

You can prepare the chicken breasts on the stovetop or in the oven.

Stovetop method:

In a large skillet on medium heat, add a few teaspoons of oil and sauté boneless, skinless chicken breasts until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from pan and cut into bite-size pieces.

If you want to sauté chicken on the stovetop,  you might want to cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise; this will allow them to cook faster, reducing the total time of the recipe.

Oven method: (recommended method for a juicy chicken)

Season both sides of the chicken breasts with a little salt, pepper and oregano; place in a lightly oiled baking dish; cover with foil and bake on 400°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

If you want a crispy exterior, take the foil off the baking dish and let the chicken roast for about 5-8 additional minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cut into bite size pieces.

For a pretty presentation, cut the chicken breasts with a super sharp knife on the diagonal.

How to prepare the al dente linguine

To prepare pasta “al dente” simply means there is a slight, firm bite to the pasta. Most package directions call for boiling a pound of pasta anywhere from 9-13 minutes. 

Al dente pasta is removed from the salted, boiling water around 7-11 minutes, depending upon the type of pasta you’re using. (Linguine takes a little longer than spaghetti noodles.)

In a 4-quart Dutch Oven on medium-high heat, bring water and a tablespoon of salt a boil; add linguine and cook according to package instructions for al dente. Drain and place in big serving bowl; coat linguine with some of the sauce. 

How to make homemade Alfredo sauce

Heat 12-inch skillet and melt butter on low heat; add room temperature heavy cream (also known as heavy whipping cream) and whisk until smooth. Keep the temperature on a medium-low heat whisking constantly.

Season lightly with garlic powder, nutmeg, a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of ground white pepper (you can use ground black pepper if that’s all you have); gradually add in fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Continue whisking until cheese is melted.

Note: Authentic Alfredo Sauce (classic chicken Alfredo) does not contain heavy cream, whole milk, low-fat milk, sour cream or cream cheese; it’s just melted butter with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Adding thick cream is an American method we added to this Italian pasta dish.

Storage and make ahead

You can make the alfredo sauce up to 3 days in advance. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Re-heat the sauce on the stovetop on low heat; it may thicken upon refrigeration, so you may need to add a few tablespoons of water when reheating.

To re-heat cooked linguine, either place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for a few seconds or, bring a pot of water to almost boiling, drop the noodles in for a few minutes, then drain and plate.

Tips

Take the heavy cream out of the fridge about 10-minutes before you start to make the sauce so it can come to room temperature (if you add super cold cream to melted butter, it will curdle)

This recipe yields 1 cup of sauce. If you’re serving folks who like a lot of sauce, double the recipe.

To thicken the Alfredo Sauce, add 1/4 – 1/3 cup of the pasta water to the sauce and whisk well.

Do not overcook the pasta; al dente, which is slightly firm, is usually ready in about 9-13 minutes

Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise and season both sides of the chicken

Add the chicken and the delicious creamy sauce to linguine, coating well. Season to taste with salt and white or black pepper. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

This easy Chicken Linquine Alfredo dinner is downright comfort food and ideal for busy weeknights or special occasions! Serve it with a crisp salad, a side of green beans, asparagus, broccoli or kale.

More easy pasta recipes

• Fettuccine Alfredo
• Pasta Carbonara with Ricotta
• San Marzano Pasta Sauce
• Creole Shrimp Pasta
• Bolognese Sauce
• Baked Greek Shrimp