creamy garlic parmesan chicken alfredo

ready and on the table in less than 20 minutes

How to make the chicken for chicken alfredo
Sear chicken thighs (or breasts) first to enjoy the crispy golden texture through the creamy pasta, then remove them to ensure a juicy chicken pieces. You’re more than welcome to dice the chicken first, sear, then leave in the pot to continue cooking with the rest of the ingredients , I prefer golden and crispy chicken!

tips to make this one pot chicken alfredo

The sauce I use includes wine. I love wine in this but you can leave it out all together if you wish.
If using wine, please use a good quality dry white wine. I use a $20 bottle of Pinot Grigio in most of my recipes on this site, but a good Sav Blanc or Chardonnay will suit the favours in this creamy sauce.
You can substitute the heavy cream (or thickened cream) with half and half or a reduced fat cooking cream to reduce the calories. You can also use evaporated milk depending on your dietary requirements.
Using freshly grated parmesan cheese enhances the flavour and ensures the cheese melts through the sauce. Please don’t use powdered parmesan.
The most important tip I have here is to remove the pot off of the stove when the pasta is just cooked al dente (firm to the bite). The sauce begins to evaporate quickly into the hot pasta while it’s resting or waiting to be served.

How to thicken your alfredo sauce
The sauce in this recipe naturally thickens as the starch from the pasta is released into the sauce while cooking. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add extra cream (or evaporated milk) in 1/4 cup increments until smooth and silky.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb | 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, (or breasts)
Salt and pepper, to season
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tablespoon minced garlic)
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine, (optional)
8 oz (250 g) brown mushrooms, sliced
2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth, or stock
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream, divided (thickened cream, light cream, evaporated milk can also be used)
Extra salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz (250 g) dry pasta, penne or fettuccini
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
Fresh chopped parsley, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Heat half of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and sear on both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add the remaining oil in the pot. Fry onion until transparent, stirring occasionally (about 2 minutes). Sauté the garlic until fragrant (30 seconds), then add in the white wine and allow to reduce to half (about 4-5 minutes). Add the mushrooms and cook for about a minute, while stirring occasionally.
Pour in broth and 1 cup of cream (or evaporated milk); season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer then add the pasta. Mix well, reduce the heat to a slow simmer while stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente (about 15 minutes).
Stir in the parmesan cheese until it melts through the sauce. Remove from heat immediately and slowly add in 1/4-1/2 cup remaining cream if sauce it too thick for your liking. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

Slice the chicken into strips and stir through the pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra parmesan, if desired