Easy Chicken Alfredo in 30 Minutes

I am here with a brief interruption to home projects to bring you my tried & true Chicken Alfredo recipe. It can be easily tossed together after a busy day at work, and pairs perfectly with a nice green salad or garlic bread! I love homemade Chicken Alfredo but I feel I have to gobble it up really fast before it starts getting hard and becomes clumpy! Is it just me or does that happen to anyone else?! So with this recipe, I used alfredo sauce from a jar & jazz it up a little bit! It stays creamy, and it’s quick & easy (who doesn’t love a quick & easy dinner?!)…you will have supper ready in about 30 minutes! Now that’s my kind of cooking!

Ingredients

Chicken

• 3-4 thin slice chicken breast or 2 thick breasts cut in half
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (do not use regular! Make sure it’s smoked)
• cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 Tbsp butter

Sauce

• 1 jar of Alfredo sauce (I use Ragu or Bertoli)
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 5 cloves of garlic or 1 1/2 Tbsp of minced garlic
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (just for flavor, not heat)
• cracked black pepper to taste

• pasta (I used fettuccini noodles but whatever pasta you prefer will work)

Preparing

Chicken

1. If chicken breasts are already thin they are fine but if they are thick slice in half. Pat them dry

2. Heat skillet on medium heat for 2-3 minutes (I use a stainless steel skillet) If you have never cooked in stainless steel I highly suggest you try it! I love mine so much! It’s a learning curve for sure but your food cooks more evenly & it gives them a nice crisp when searing! I never could get a good crisp with my nonstick pans & I was ready to get rid of the chemicals that are used in the nonstick coating! Mine are linked here!

3. Mix paprika & salt together in a small bowl. Season tops of chicken with cracked black paper to taste and sprinkle with your paprika and salt mixture. Flip them over and repeat.

4. Add oil to the pan and swirl around

5. Use tongs and add your chicken to the skillet. Place carefully because once placed you cannot move it! We want to sear it really well! Cook for about 4-5 minutes.

6. When it is time to flip them add 1 T butter to the pan and swirl around. Using your tongs flip your chicken over and cook for another 3 minutes or until done.

7. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm. I place mine in the microwave! Remove pan from the heat for a second but DO NOT discard what’s left in the pan! We want that for the sauce!

Sauce & Pasta

1. Heat water to boil for your pasta. Always salt your water when cooking pasta! Once boiling add in your pasta and cook until done!

2. While you are waiting for your water to boil you can bring your pan that you cooked your chicken in back to heat. Heat on medium-low.

3. Add 1 T butter and melt. Once melted add your garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds! Don’t over cook your garlic because it will burn and become bitter!

4. Add your jar of Alfredo sauce and thoroughly mix together. I will usually pour a little milk in the jar and shake it up to get the remaining sauce. Make sure your lid is on tight though and don’t shake Alfredo sauce all over your kitchen like I did one time! YIKES!

5. Add 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper. This will not add heat it will just add flavor! If you add more than that though it will add heat!

6. Add cracked black pepper to taste. ( We loved the taste of cracked black pepper over the pepper you use in shakers! It seems to have more flavor) Mix together!

7. Turn heat to low and let simmer until pasta is done.

8. Once pasta is done I used a pasta spoon and transferred it right to the sauce. Why use a strainer and dirty up something else, am I right?! Toss until coated!

9. Slice chicken and place on top of pasta once you have it plated! We serve with salad or garlic breadsticks!

& that’s it friends! If you try it please let me know! Maybe you can put your own twist to it and I can try it too!

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