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chicken broccoli alfredo
5 from 8 votes

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

This chicken broccoli Alfredo recipe uses boneless chicken thighs, a classic roux, broccoli, and a few other ingredients to create a creamy and delicious Alfredo dinner. 
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 30 minutes
Fat 18
Carbs 35
Protein 31
Yield 6

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 3 tablespoons water separated
  • 1 teaspoon salt separated
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan
  • 8 oz. uncooked fettuccine noodles
  • 4 cups broccoli florets chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter separated
  • ¼ cup dry white wine we used chardonnay
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup 2 % milk
  • 1 cup starchy pasta water

Instructions

  • Prepare the chicken thighs. Begin by cutting the chicken thighs into 1-inch chunks and transfer them into a bowl. Then drizzle on 1 tablespoon of water. This will help the parmesan stick to it.
  • Place ½ teaspoon salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of finely grated parmesan cheese in a small bowl and mix until combined. 
  • Be sure the chicken thigh pieces are coated in water and then season the chicken thigh pieces with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. Toss until the chicken pieces are coated and then set aside.
  • Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the fettuccine noodles. Cook the fettuccine noodles until they are al dente. 
  • Before straining the water from the noodles, remove 2 cups of starchy pasta water from the pot to use for later. Rinse the pasta with cold water and set aside. 
  • Next, place the broccoli pieces in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of water to the skillet and sprinkle the broccoli with a pinch of salt. Cover the skillet.
  • Heat the skillet over medium/high heat to steam the broccoli. Let the broccoli steam in the skillet for 2-4 minutes or until the broccoli has turned a vibrant green color. 
  • Remove the skillet from heat and transfer the broccoli to a large bowl and set aside for later. 
  • Brown the chicken. Heat the same skillet over medium/high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. 
  • When the butter has melted, spread the butter over the bottom of the skillet. 
  • Add the pieces of chicken thigh to the skillet and brown them on each side for 3-4 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to the same bowl as the broccoli. 
  • Return the skillet to the heat and deglaze the pan with white wine. Use a spatula to scrape all of the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. 
  • Prepare the alfredo sauce. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and turn the heat down to medium heat. 
  • When the butter is melted, add the flour to the skillet and whisk the two ingredients until a paste forms. 
  • Slowly add the milk to the skillet, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. 
  • Next, slowly add the starchy pasta water to the skillet, whisking constantly.
  • Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of finely grated parmesan and garlic powder to the skillet and whisk the cheese into the sauce until the cheese is melted. 
  • Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt to the sauce and whisk until combined.  
  • Next, add the cooked fettuccine to the cheese sauce and toss the pasta with the pasta sauce until coated. 
  • Finally, add the chicken and broccoli to the skillet and fold the chicken and vegetables into the pasta and sauce. 
  • Top with freshly grated parmesan and freshly cracked pepper.

Tips & Notes

  • We highly recommend using boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, but chicken breasts will work as well. 
  • If you prefer a very liquid-y sauce, feel free to add more milk or starchy water to the Alfredo sauce before adding the pasta to the Alfredo sauce. 
  • Feel free to add more salt to the sauce at the end of the dish. 

Watch it

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 18g | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 5g