Easy Chicken Alfredo With Jarred Sauce
Published 2026-10-29
Chicken alfredo is a restaurant favorite that is surprisingly easy to make at home with a jar of alfredo sauce. While the pasta cooks, you sear the chicken, then bring everything together in one pan. With a few small touches such as garlic, black pepper and a little pasta water, the sauce tastes richer and less like it came from a jar. Dinner can be on the table in under half an hour.
Ingredients
For about four servings you need one pound of fettuccine, penne or spaghetti, one jar of alfredo sauce, one to one and a half pounds of chicken breast or tenders, olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, and grated parmesan. Optional extras include broccoli florets, spinach, mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes. For a shortcut, use rotisserie chicken or drained canned chicken breast.
Method
Start boiling salted water for the pasta. Season the chicken and cook it in a hot skillet with a little olive oil for about five to seven minutes per side, until cooked through to 165 degrees Fahrenheit inside, then slice it. Lower the heat, add minced garlic for thirty seconds, then pour in the alfredo sauce and warm it gently. Add the drained pasta, the chicken and a splash of reserved pasta water, and toss until creamy.
Make the sauce taste homemade
Stir in a handful of real grated parmesan and plenty of black pepper. A pinch of nutmeg or a squeeze of lemon brightens rich cream sauces. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with pasta water or milk a little at a time. Keep the heat low, because cream sauces can separate if they boil hard.
Add vegetables
Toss broccoli florets into the pasta pot for the last two to three minutes of cooking. Stir spinach into the hot sauce until it wilts. Sautéed mushrooms and peas also pair well. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat with a splash of milk to bring the sauce back together.
