Creamy Chicken Alfredo with Penne (Printable)
Tender chicken and penne tossed in a rich, homemade Alfredo sauce.
# What You Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Pasta
05 - 12 ounces penne pasta
→ Sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/4 cup whole milk
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. When melted, add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and whole milk. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Optionally add nutmeg. Gradually whisk in Parmesan cheese until sauce is smooth.
05 - Season sauce with salt and black pepper to taste. Add cooked penne and sliced chicken to skillet. Toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water if needed to loosen sauce.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in 40 minutes, which means you can have restaurant-quality comfort food on a weeknight without the stress.
- The sauce is silky and rich but not heavy, clinging to every piece of penne in a way that just tastes like pure indulgence.
- It's forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough to serve when you want to feel like you really cooked something.
02 -
- Never let the sauce boil hard after you add the cheese or it will separate and look curdled—medium heat and patience are what keep it silky.
- Grate your own Parmesan every single time; the pre-grated stuff has cellulose in it that makes the sauce feel grainy and tastes like sadness.
- Don't skip pasta water—it's starchy and helps the sauce coat everything evenly, turning a good dish into a great one.
03 -
- Keep the heat low once cream is involved—high temperature is the enemy of silky sauce, so patience and a watchful eye matter more than you'd think.
- If your sauce breaks and looks curdled, remove it from heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold milk to save it, then reheat gently.