Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo tastes delicious and creamy, but is a little lighter than most Alfredo recipes! This recipe is easy and filling too!
There was a time when the only kind of “sauce” my kids wanted on their noodles was butter. I admit, that hot buttered noodles are dreamy. I grew up loving pasta the same way (although I also added a little feta to my buttered noodles).
I accepted the buttered noodle phase for a while, but then I decided they needed to like red sauces like my homemade marinara sauce recipe. After all, tomatoes are good for you and marinaras are great for hiding other veggies.
They took to red sauces enough, which made them a little more open to new kids of sauces like lemon pasta and pumpkin pasta.
Eventually, they discovered the joys of Alfredo sauce.
My family loves a good Alfredo sauce like this easy Fettuccine Alfredo with Lemon and Artichokes, this Shrimp Alfredo, this Buffalo Chicken Alfredo and even something like this Chicken Gnocchi!.
In order to feed my family healthy food (I get to worry about that since I’m an adult), I created a lighter Alfredo recipe that also tastes great! This recipe has a little of everything; protein, veggies, and dairy.
How To Make Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
STEP ONE – Prepare your noodles according to the package directions. Add chopped, fresh broccoli during the last 5 minutes of cooking, drain and set aside.
STEP TWO – Using the same pot, melt butter and stir in flour with a whisk and continue to cook flour mixture until lightly toasted.
STEP THREE – Slowly stream in milk, and whisk until no lumps remain. Reduce heat and allow milk to simmer without boiling. Add in the cheeses, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Allow mixture to thicken for 2-3 minutes.
STEP FOUR – Stir the cooked pasta and broccoli into the sauce along with the chicken and voila, you have a simple yet amazing chicken broccoli alfredo pasta dish! All in under 30 minutes!
Chicken And Broccoli Tips Recipe Tips
- You can use cubed cooked chicken breast in this recipe, although I think rotisserie chicken makes life much easier!
- Chopped frozen broccoli can be used in place of the fresh broccoli florets
- Season your sauce with fresh, minced garlic, garlic powder or Italian seasoning.
- I used Neufchatel cheese in this recipe, but full-fat cream cheese is fine
- Heavy cream can be used in place of the milk to add a rich, silky taste to the sauce.
Can You Freeze Chicken And Broccoli Alfredo
Yes, this can definitely be frozen, under one circumstance; you omit the cream cheese. Cream cheese does not lend itself to freezing, it will break down once it has thawed.
You can omit the cream cheese and adjust the amount of Parmesan cheese used in the sauce.
If you are going to freeze this dish, prepare as directed minus the cream cheese. Allow the mixture to cool. Place in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
When needed, allow the mixture to thaw in the fridge, then transfer the mixture to a large pot or Dutch oven. Add a splash of milk, cream, or milk and stir until the sauce becomes creamy again.
How Long Is This Alfredo Pasta Good For?
This pasta is best when consumed immediately. The sauce begins to solidify rather quickly. You can store this pasta in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat in the microwave or place the pasta in a large saucepan and add a little milk, stirring to coat. This will help the sauce cream up again although it will not be the same as the first day it was made.
What To Serve With Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
A good wine and crusty bread is always a wise choice. But beyond that, try this Hot Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad or this Mixed Green Citrus Salad.
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Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
Broccoli Alfredo tastes delicious and creamy, but is a little lighter than most Alfredo recipes! This recipe is easy and filling too!
Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine pasta
- 2 cups chopped broccoli
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cups 1 % milk
- 2 tablespoon Neufchatel cheese (or half fat cream cheese)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper taste
- 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
Instructions
- Bring water to boil in a deep stockpot or deep skillet and cook pasta according to package directions. Add chopped broccoli during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove and drain; set aside.
- Place the pot or the skillet back on the heat and melt the butter.
- Stir in flour with a whisk and continue to cook flour mixture until lightly toasted.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking until no lumps remain. Reduce heat and allow milk to simmer without boiling.
- Add the cheeses whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Allow mixture to thicken for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir the pasta into the sauce along with the chicken. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 325Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 47mgSodium 280mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 20g
Karly says
This looks ahhhhmaze! You can never go wrong with a good alfredo pasta. Never. This one just looks exxxxtra delish. 🙂