When it comes to Italian chicken recipes, none are as decadent and coveted as Olive Garden chicken alfredo. This isn’t just one of those pasta recipes with doctored up jarred alfredo sauce on it. It’s one of those really impressive chicken pasta recipes that taste amazing and it’s very easy to make.
When you need an easy meal that you can pull together on a busy weeknight without tearing up the kitchen, its Olive Garden chicken alfredo recipe to the rescue. This is a meal the entire family will love, and it’ll save you $50!
Check it out!
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What I Love About This Recipe
I love that this Olive Garden chicken alfredo recipe is simple and wholesome. Plus, it makes you look like a superstar in the kitchen! It comes together quickly with no complicated processes or crazy gadgets required.
Here are even more reasons to love it!
- Makes a creamy decadent pasta meal
- Great mid-week dinner idea
- Tastes absolutely Ah-ma-zing
- No hard to learn techniques
- Simple wholesome recipe
Chicken Recipes Notes
Olive Garden chicken alfredo is one of my all-time favorite chicken recipes and you’re about to see why. Its crazy simple to make and it checks all the creamy dreamy boxes. Here’s what you need to know.
Be sure to let your cooked chicken rest before slicing it up. This is very important! If you cut it too soon, all the juices will run out and you’ll end up with dry rubbery chicken.
Also, you’ll want to sauté the flour in the butter/garlic mixture for just a minute and remove it from heat. This is another critical step.
First, it helps coat the flour in butter, so it acts the way we want it to, and it gets rid of that flour flavor. Removing it from heat stops it from cooking so you end up with a white roux. Here’s a little about the different types of roux, just in case.
Olive Garden Alfredo Recipe Ingredients Notes
This copycat Olive Garden alfredo recipe is one of the best I’ve tried to date, and the best part is that it doesn’t take a bunch of crazy ingredients. You can probably make this copycat Olive Garden chicken alfredo recipe with what’s currently in your fridge. Here’s what it takes.
Pasta – I prefer using Fettucine pasta because it’s got plenty of valuable real estate to carry that yummy Olive Garden alfredo sauce. It should be cooked al dente with an adequate amount of salt for best results.
Chicken – Two boneless, skinless breasts will do the trick here. It makes the ideal amount for this recipe.
Butter – Your recipe starts with unsalted butter. The full-fat version works best for this sauce.
Seasonings – A vibrant combination of salt, pepper, garlic, and fresh parsley help bring your Olive Garden chicken alfredo to life.
Flour – You’ll need just a little bit of regular ‘ole all-purpose flour too.
Cheese – Parmesan cheese is the star of the show here. I like to use fresh parmesan because it melts better but this one’s up to you.
Cream – You’ll need a combination of heavy cream and milk to form the base of this recipe.
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo Storing Tips
Serving up chicken fettuccine alfredo means you probably won’t have a lot of leftovers. Luckily storing them is easy and you can have some totally awesome ready-made lunches later in the week. You can toss your Olive garden chicken alfredo in an airtight container in the fridge and it’ll keep just fine. Large Ziplocs work well too.
Can You Freeze This?
Unfortunately, it’s not a good idea to freeze this. Pasta is notoriously finicky in the freezer and your Olive Garden chicken alfredo recipe is just never quite the same when it thaws.
Fettuccine Alfredo Make Ahead Tips
Fettuccine alfredo is always best when it’s fresh but the leftovers are quite yummy too. The pasta will continue to absorb your Olive Garden chicken alfredo in the fridge so you may need to thin it out, depending on your preferences. If that’s the case you can add a little milk when you reheat it.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Your Olive Garden chicken alfredo will stay vibrant and awesome for up to 5 days in the fridge when stored properly. It’s also best to reserve the FDA recommended 2-hour serving rule just to be on the safe side.
Chicken Alfredo Recipe Variations
This rich creamy copycat Olive Garden chicken alfredo recipe is absolutely incredible as it stands. Some people do like to add mushrooms to their chicken alfredo, but I wouldn’t get too crazy with the sauce. Here are a few variations you may want to try.
Can I Bake This Instead?
Oh yeah, baby! This makes a fantastic chicken alfredo casserole. Serving up chicken alfredo bake means you can feed a crowd and win their hearts at the same time! It’s a beautiful thing.
Can I Add Seafood To This Recipe?
There is nothing wrong with turning this recipe into shrimp alfredo! In fact, it’s pretty good. Shrimp fettuccine alfredo is always a hit and just as easy to make. Or you could also go the full monte and make seafood alfredo instead.
Can I Add Balsamic Vinegar?
You probably don’t want to add Balsamic vinegar to this recipe. Not good. If you love that tangy flavor you should probably make balsamic chicken instead. It’s not cream-based but it is literally Ah-ma-zing.
If you’ve got the balsamic glazed chicken thing down, then try taking things a step further with honey balsamic chicken. You’ll be glad you did.
What Other Types Of Pasta Can I Use?
I’ve always preferred fettuccini pasta in Olive Garden chicken alfredo but that’s just me. Your recipe will also make an incredible tortellini alfredo, and the madness doesn’t stop there! You can try making alfredo lasagna, chicken Florentine pasta and a host of other yummy decadent dishes with this sauce.
What Other Alfredo Sauces Can I Use?
Making this recipe opens up so many recipe doors and you can make other alfredo sauce variations. A few small substitutions will give you a light alfredo sauce and save some calories. You can make dishes like chicken alfredo lasagna with either version.
Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Fettucine
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons, plus 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup, plus more for passing grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions in well-salted water. Drain.
- Pat chicken breast dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, in a 12-inch skillet. Cook chicken breasts in the hot skillet until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes without flipping them or moving them in the pan. Turn breasts over and add 2 tablespoon butter. Cook the breast another 5-7 minutes or until an instant thermometer reads 165 degrees. Do not overcook or chicken will be dry. Remove to a plate and allow to rest for 7-10 minutes. Slice chicken and cover with aluminum foil; set aside.
- In a clean large, high sided skillet, melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter over medium-low heat and saute garlic until fragrant, about a minute. Sprinkle flour over butter and cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and slowly whisk in cream and milk until smooth.
- Return skillet to medium-low heat and stir in 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese and white pepper and simmer gently until cheese is melted.
- Toss cooked pasta with sauce. (At first, the pasta may seem soupy but, as it sits, the pasta will quickly absorb more sauce and you will have plenty of sauce to coat the pasta generously and it won't be dry when you go back for seconds!) Arrange pasta on plates and top with sliced chicken. Sprinkle with parsley and serve extra Parmesan on the side.
Nutrition
More Italian Chicken Recipes
Making Italian chicken gives you some incredible full-flavored dinner options that add variety to the menu. There are so many different versions and they’re all pretty yummy. Here are some of my best Italian chicken recipes for you to try.
See which are your favorites!
- Chicken Piccata – Creamy and decant with a burst of fresh flavor.
- Chicken Fritters – Full on comfort food even the kiddos will love.
- Pesto Chicken – Fragrant full-flavored and just plain yummy.
- Chicken Milanese – Full-flavored and decadent in a way that wins your heart.
- Chicken Vesuvio – An Italian-American classic that is finger lickin’ fantastic!
Conclusion
Making this recipe opens so many recipe doors and this copycat Olive Garden chicken alfredo is one of my FAVS! It’s decadent, wholesome and totally easy to throw together. The best part is that it can be a quick mid-week meal or a decadent Sunday supper.
This is the recipe that will bring the family running and make you look forward to prepping lunches. I can’t wait for you to try this decadent Olive Garden chicken alfredo recipe, so I can hear what you think!
Rose Gorke says
January 3, 2020 at 5:36 pmThis is exactly how I make this chicken Alfredo. I would like to see more soups please. My mom was a fantastic cook and our Sunday meal always started with a dish of home made soup. I try to continue the tradition.
Kathleen says
January 3, 2020 at 7:07 pmHi Rose! WE’ve got lotsa of soups coming. I hope you enjoy!!