Creamy Chicken Alfredo for One
A quick and easy creamy chicken Alfredo recipe perfect for solo dining, ready in 20 minutes with simple ingredients and a rich, garlicky sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 small boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 6 ounces / 170 grams), sliced thin
- Salt and pepper, to season
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (50 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 ounces (85 grams) fettuccine or linguine pasta
- ¼ cup (60 ml) reserved pasta water
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breast dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Slice into thin strips about ½ inch thick.
- Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8–10 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and stir gently. Warm for 2–3 minutes until it starts to thicken slightly.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese slowly, allowing it to melt into the cream. Add reserved pasta water gradually to loosen sauce to desired consistency.
- Return chicken to skillet and toss gently in sauce. Add drained pasta and mix until coated. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
Use freshly grated Parmesan for best melting and flavor. Reserve pasta water to loosen sauce and help it cling to pasta. Thinly slice chicken to avoid dryness. For dairy-free, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and Parmesan with nutritional yeast. Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken can be used as a shortcut.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (1 serving)
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 40
- Saturated Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 45
Keywords: chicken alfredo, creamy chicken pasta, solo dinner, quick dinner, easy chicken recipe, fettuccine alfredo, single serving pasta