Description
Ready to make the most luscious and incredibly tasty restaurant-style fettuccine alfredo at home? Then this creamy, hearty broccoli chicken fettuccine alfredo in mushroom sauce is your best bet! It requires simple ingredients and comes together quickly on a whim! It is the perfect pasta dish for Sunday dinners, during the holidays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Valentine’s Day. This is that one pasta recipe you need in your recipe box!
Ingredients
- 1 pack or 1 LB. of fettuccine pasta (I would generally use Barilla brand)
- 3 – 4 boneless and skinless chicken breast
- 2 Lbs. broccoli florets
- 2 Lbs. sliced mushrooms
For sautéing the chicken
- Chicken Breasts (obviously; see measurement above)
- 1 teaspoon of salt (or less, according to your taste/health need)
- ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon of dry thyme
For the sauce:
- 1 – 1½ cup(s) Heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil;
- 2 seasoning cubes or 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder
- ½ teaspoon of dry thyme
- Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)
- Black pepper about ¼ – ½ teaspoon
- 1 cup of tiny diced white or yellow onions
- 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
- ½ – 1 cup of pasta water (optional; and if needed)
For boiling the fettuccine:
- Water to boil the fettuccine
- 1 tablespoon of salt (for boiling the fettuccine)
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
Instructions
- Prep the Ingredients. Wash and prep all the veggies. Mince or grate the garlic and cut up the broccoli. I typically buy sliced mushrooms, so rinse them and dry them with paper towels. If you have whole mushrooms, wash and slice them. Then, wash your chicken breasts and pat them dry with a paper towel before slicing them as needed. I prefer to slice the chicken breasts rather than cut them into cubes for this recipe.
- Cook Chicken Breasts. You can season the chicken with salt, pepper, Knorr Bouillon, and dry thyme. Then, turn the stove on medium-high heat and add olive oil to your warm pot. Put the chicken into the hot oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side. When the chicken is fully cooked, place them on a clean plate, cover, and set aside.
- Make the Sauce. Use the pot you used to cook the chicken to make your sauce. Add two tablespoons of butter (or olive oil) and then add the onions; cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until they become tender and translucent, followed by the mushrooms and garlic. Then, add the salt, thyme, black pepper, and seasoning cubes or Knorr bouillon seasoning powder. Stir to ensure everything combines very well with the mushroom. Ensure your stove is on low, and then add the heavy cream (note that milk or half and half work, too, but you will need to simmer them for longer to thicken). Keep stirring so everything combines well, and bring to a simmer. Then add the sauteed chicken breasts and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the flavors, and slowly bring to a simmer until it thickens. (NOTE: as you start making your sauce, place a pot of water on the other side of the stove to boil the pasta).
- Cook Pasta and Add Broccoli Halfway. Fill a pot full of water and set it to boil. Once boiling, add a tablespoon of salt and two teaspoons of olive oil. Cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions, but just about 2 to 3 minutes short of that time. While the pasta is at the halfway point, add broccoli to blanch it before adding to the sauce.
- Put It All Together. Once the sauce has thickened, taste it and adjust the seasonings if needed. Turn the stove’s heat to the lowest. If the fettuccine pasta is ready, use your tongs to grab the cooked pasta and broccoli and add them to the sauce. Alternatively, you can pour the entire boiled pasta/broccoli into a colander/sieve to drain the water and then add the entire fettuccine and broccoli to your mushroom alfredo sauce. Make sure to reserve some pasta water in case you need it to lighten this dish. Server warm and enjoy!
Notes
Depending on the amount of chicken, you may need to sauté in batches.
Start cooking the pasta while you are making the sauce to streamline your meal.
Make sure to reserve some pasta water in case you need it to lighten this dish. It can help you get the texture you want with the sauce.
Garnish with fresh herbs, and make sure you serve this promptly, as it’s best while warm.
Add Parmesan if you want to use it! We typically don’t!
I have always used heavy cream or half-and-half most times when I make this alfredo chicken pasta. However, if you use milk, you may need to simmer it for longer to thicken, or you may need to add 1-2 tablespoons of flour to thicken it.
I have also sometimes added green bell peppers. Though optional, this is another way to add more veggies to this dish. If you want to add green bell peppers, slice, saute, and add them towards the end alongside fettuccine and broccoli.
