Date Night Spaghetti Alfredo with Chicken
If a cozy date night at home is on the menu, this spaghetti alfredo with chicken is the move. It is creamy, rich, and shockingly easy. The chicken is sliced thin lengthwise with tons of flavor from a simple marinade and the pasta is tossed with the silkiest homemade alfredo sauce. Pair it with lemony green beans, a big salad, and your favorite garlic bread for a full restaurant-at-home dinner situation.
Erica’s Thoughts
Ka-La and I love a date night in. Since having kids, we’ve had quite limited babysitting help, so a date night in is our MO. I love the occasional date night out, but more realistically, this is what we do. No babysitter. No waiting for a table. Just me making a “fancy” dinner in my sweatpants while the girls watch a movie. Then they go to bed and we feast.
This is one of those meals that looks like you tried really hard, but really only takes 30 minutes.
A couple keys for a good Alfredo:
- Freshly grated parmesan: Don’t try to use the pre-grated stuff, y’all, it has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting like freshly grated.
- Garlic paste: like the kind in the tube you get in the produce section. This has all the flavor and freshness of chopped garlic but blends seamlessly into the sauce (no little chunks of garlic floating around!)
- Pasta water: the pasta water is essential because its dissolved starches help emulsify and thicken the sauce so it clings smoothly to every noodle.
- And a couple notes about the chicken. Don’t forget to slice the breasts in half lengthwise so they are nice and thin. This makes sure they cook quickly and evenly for perfectly juicy chicken breast. And, you may think mayo in the marinade is odd – but the mayo provides a lot of moisture and helps the marinade cling to the chicken breast for more flavor. Just trust, my loves.
Whether it’s a family dinner for a busy weeknight or a chill date night in sitch… saucy, creamy spaghetti and perfectly tender chicken, comin’ right up!
What You’ll Need to Make Spaghetti Alfredo
- Chicken breast: Thinly sliced for quick cooking and juicy results.
- Marinade: A simple mix of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, mayo, and seasonings makes chicken that goes good on everything. Opt for an all-purpose seasoning with salt in it, my favorite is Kinders meat and veggie rub.
- Alfredo sauce: It may seem intimidating, but Alfredo sauce is the simplest mixture of butter, heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, and starchy pasta water! I like to get garlic paste (vs chopped fresh garlic) so that it blends into the sauce. You can find it in the produce section next to the refrigerated herbs. Also buy the block of Parmesan and grate it on a microplane or the small holes of a box grater.
- For serving: fresh basil, more parm and lots of freshly cracked black pepper!
How to Make Alfredo Spaghetti
Whisk marinade ingredients together. Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so they cook evenly, pat dry, add to the marinade, and fully coat. A short 20 to 30 minute marinade is ideal but if you are in a rush, proceed to grilling.
Cook the chicken on a grill or in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let it rest while you make the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions until al dente and reserve at least 2 cups of the pasta water before draining.
In a skillet over medium low heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic paste and whisk until fragrant, about a minute. Pour in the heavy cream and season with kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the parmesan and whisk until you have a smooth and creamy alfredo sauce.
Add the hot spaghetti directly into the cream mixture. Toss toss toss. Add a scant cup of the pasta water and toss until every noodle is glossy and silky. If the sauce seems too thin, just let it sit for a few minutes, it really thickens up.
Slice the chicken and place it on top. Shower with extra parmesan, basil or parsley, and cracked black pepper.
Expert Tips
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent melting.
- Keep the heat low on the sauce. Boiling dairy leads to grainy separation.
- Add pasta water gradually until your desired consistency is reached. If you feel like it gets too thin, don’t worry, just let it sit for a few minutes and it will thicken up.
- Rest the chicken before slicing so the juices stay inside.
- I usually don’t even bother to drain the spaghetti; I use tongs to transfer it from the pasta pot to the Alfredo sauce. Saves you from getting a colander dirty!
Variation Ideas
- Swap spaghetti for literally any type of pasta!
- Add steamed broccoli, asparagus or peas right into the pasta.
- Use grilled shrimp, chicken thighs or steak instead of chicken breast.
- Add a kick with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
FAQs
You can… I did not test this recipe with half and half, but because it is quite a lot thinner/lower in fat you will probably not need much, if any, pasta water.
Make sure the cream is warm/simmering before adding the parmesan cheese and whisk whisk whisk!
Make sure the heat is low to medium low the entire time.
Yep, pretty much any variety of pasta will work here.
It is best fresh, but you can store leftover Alfredo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of water to return the spaghetti to its former saucy glory.
What should I serve with spaghetti alfredo?
This is a full date night dinner with:
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
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Date Night Spaghetti Alfredo with Chicken
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Total Time: 35-40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American Italian
Description
The coziest, creamiest spaghetti alfredo made with tender grilled chicken and the simplest homemade alfredo sauce. Perfect for family dinner or date night at home.
Ingredients
chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
spaghetti alfredo
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated (about 1 1/4 cup)
- 8oz spaghetti
- 1–2 cups reserved starchy pasta water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons mayo, 2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Use a knife to slice the chicken breast in half lengthwise (butterflying it) to get thin, flat pieces. Pat the chicken breast dry with a paper towel and trim away any visible pieces of fat.
- Add the chicken to the marinade, making sure it is very well coated on all sides. If you can marinate for 20-30 minutes great, if not, proceed to cook.
- Heat a grill or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and oil the grill grates (or add a swish of oil if using a skillet). Grill for 5 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reads 165°F. Set aside and let rest.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt and stir to dissolve. Cook spaghetti according to the package instructions. Reserve at least 2 cups starchy pasta water during the last minute of cooking time.
- In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. When the butter is hot, add 1 teaspoon garlic paste, whisking until fragrant, 60 seconds. Pour in the heavy cream, whisking until well combined. Season with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a simmer.
- Stir in 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, whisking until fully melted. Reduce heat to low. Add the cooked spaghetti directly to the skillet with the sauce, tossing to combine. Gradually add splashes of pasta water until the sauce is glossy and coats every noodle. I generally use between 1-2 cups, but start conservatively! See pasta water note*
- Thinly slice the chicken breast and serve over the hot spaghetti alfredo, top with remaining parmesan cheese, lots of fresh basil and cracked black pepper! Pair with your favorite veggie or salad and a hunk of garlic bread.
Notes
Pasta water: the sauce really thickens up as it sits so when I put away the leftovers, I add several more big splashes of pasta water so it stays saucy.
Kosher salt: I use kosher salt in my recipes, if you are using finer variety of salt (like table salt) you will need less, start with half the amount listed and adjust per your taste.
If you accidentally add too much pasta water and the sauce seems thin, let the spaghetti sit for a few minutes to thicken.
I usually don’t even bother to drain the spaghetti, I use tongs to transfer it from the pasta pot to the alfredo sauce. Saves you from getting a colander dirty!
Refer to above blog post for ingredient information, expert tips and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 756
- Sugar: 5.9 g
- Sodium: 1463.7 mg
- Fat: 41.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.1 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 45.6 g
- Cholesterol: 193.3 mg
Delicious and simple. I made as directed but cooked chicken in air fryer. I would never think to do a mayo based marinade but it was so flavorful!
I would recommend doubling the recipe if serving more than two people
Yay Kristen, glad you loved it! Air fryer is a great idea 🙂