Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Blackened Chicken Alfredo is a deliciously rich and creamy homemade pasta topped with tender chicken coated in just the right amount of spice. This restaurant-quality meal can be on the table in 30 minutes or less.
Pasta is my kids’ favorite food group. This easy blackened chicken alfredo is a crowd-pleaser. The smoky, slightly spicy chicken pairs perfectly with creamy Alfredo sauce, for a simple dish that is big on flavor. I consider myself a bit of an Alfredo connoisseur, and this homemade Alfredo sauce recipe is my tried-and-true favorite. It’s a simple no-fuss recipe with only a handful of ingredients, but makes a delicious rich and creamy sauce that is a hit every time.
Serve this with simple garlic bread, grilled squash or a nice fresh salad for a delicious complete meal. For another Alfredo inspired recipes, try my jerk shrimp Alfredo. If you love blackened chicken, try my blackened chicken caesar salad.
You Will Love This
- Tender pasta, rich Alfredo sauce and smoky blackened chicken breasts pair perfectly in this recipe to make one of the best Alfredos I’ve had.
- Homemade Alfredo sauce is surprisingly easy to make, and truly knocks the socks off the grocery store stuff.
- Even though it seems fancy, this easy pasta dish takes less than 30 minutes, and is simple enough even for the busy weeknights.
Ingredients
To make blackened chicken Alfredo, you need the following simple ingredients (exact measurements are in the recipe card below).
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: I used chicken tenders in this recipe, because they are quick-cooking and easy. You could substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts, they will just take a little longer to cook. Make sure they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Salted butter: You can feel free to substitute unsalted butter, just taste the sauce and add a pinch more salt if needed
- Heavy whipping cream: There are no real substitutes for heavy cream in Alfredo sauce. This is definitely not a health food! Heavy cream will give you that creamy rich sauce that is true Alfredo.
- Parmesan cheese: It’s crucial that you shred your own cheese for homemade Alfredo sauce. Pre-shredded cheese contains enzymes and stabilizers that prevents it from clumping. It also prevents it from melting well. Buy a block of Parmesan and shred it yourself to ensure that you get a silky smooth sauce.
- Linguine pasta: Really any pasta will work in this dish. I like fettuccine or linguine, but penne pasta, cavatappi or angel hair will work – use whatever you love!
Instructions
Step One: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to package directions. Keep the pasta hot until it is ready to be added to the sauce.
Top Tip: Alfredo sauce will thicken up quickly if you add cool pasta to it, and it will lose it’s luscious creamy consistency. When I’m making this recipe, I boil the pasta for only a couple minutes and then turn the heat off but keep the noodles in the hot water while I make the rest of the recipe. This keeps the noodles piping hot until I’m ready for them, but they don’t overcook.
Step Two: Prepare the chicken. Mix the olive oil with the homemade blackening seasoning for the chicken tenders to form a paste. Pour the paste over the chicken tenders and stir until they are well-coated.
Step Three: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the seasoned chicken tenders and let them cook undisturbed on the first side for 3-4 minutes. Flip them, and let them cook on the second side another 3-4 minutes, until cooked through. Set the chicken aside to rest for about 5 minutes.
Step Four: When the chicken is resting, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salt and Italian seasoning to the butter. Stir in the cream and bring it to a very low simmer. Add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and whisk with a wire whisk until the cheese is fully incorporated and the sauce is smooth.
Step Five: Add hot pasta and sliced chicken to the Alfredo sauce, and serve immediately.
Storage
Alfredo sauce is best eaten right away. Real Alfredo sauce (not the store bought stuff!) breaks when cooled, which means the butter and fat separates from the cream. This causes the sauce to be more thin and greasy when reheated, not smooth and creamy like it is when it’s first made. While this is not something I would prep ahead/meal prep, I am also not someone to throw out leftovers! I you have them, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat them within 2-3 days. Just know that the sauce will not reheat to the same consistency (it will still taste great though)!
Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 16 ounces linguine pasta
For the chicken
- 1 pound chicken breast tenders
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon basil
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 1/2 cups freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to package directions. Keep the pasta hot until it is ready to be added to the sauce.
- Prepare the chicken. Mix the olive oil with the homemade blackening seasoning for the chicken tenders to form a paste. Pour the paste over the chicken tenders and stir until they are well-coated.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the seasoned chicken tenders and let them cook undisturbed on the first side for 3-4 minutes. Flip them, and let them cook on the second side another 3-4 minutes, until cooked through. Set the chicken aside to rest for about 5 minutes.
- When the chicken is resting, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salt and Italian seasoning to the butter. Stir in the cream and bring it to a very low simmer. Add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and whisk with a wire whisk until the cheese is fully incorporated and the sauce is smooth.
- Add hot pasta and sliced chicken to the Alfredo sauce, and serve immediately.
