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This Chicken Broccoli Alfredo is the rich, creamy, restaurant-worthy pasta dinner my family begs for, with tender fettuccine, juicy chicken, and crisp-tender broccoli in a luscious parmesan sauce. I started making it on busy school nights because it feels fancy but comes together fast, and Maddie always asks for seconds. If you love a creamy pasta, our easy alfredo pasta is another keeper.
A secret splash of cream cheese makes the homemade alfredo sauce extra silky, and the whole comforting dinner is on the table in about 35 minutes.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Quick Look
- đź•’ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 35 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 641kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, creamy, cheesy, and comforting
- âś‹ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our chicken alfredo bake
Quick Answer
To make chicken broccoli alfredo, blanch broccoli florets and set aside. Make the sauce by melting butter, whisking in flour and seasonings to form a roux, then slowly whisking in milk, chicken stock, and heavy cream until smooth. Stir in cubed cream cheese and grated parmesan until melted and silky. Cook fettuccine, reserving some pasta water, then add the cooked chicken, broccoli, and noodles to the sauce and toss to coat, loosening with pasta water as needed. Serve right away while creamy and hot.
Jump to:
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo FAQs
- Other Recommended Creamy Pasta Recipes
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Cream cheese makes it ultra-silky. A block of cream cheese melted into the sauce gives it a luxurious, velvety texture that stays smooth instead of breaking.
- Blanching keeps the broccoli bright. A quick boil and ice bath lock in that vibrant green color and crisp-tender bite, so the broccoli never turns mushy.
- A real roux thickens the sauce. Cooking butter and flour first builds a base that clings to every noodle, no watery alfredo here.
- Cooked chicken makes it weeknight fast. Using shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken means dinner comes together in about 35 minutes start to finish.
- Pasta water saves the day. Reserving some starchy cooking liquid lets you loosen the sauce to the perfect creamy consistency right before serving.
- It is a complete meal in one bowl. Protein, veggies, and pasta all together make this a satisfying dinner the whole family loves.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is rich, creamy, and loaded with chicken and broccoli for a complete meal in one bowl.
- The homemade alfredo sauce comes together in minutes and tastes better than any jar.
- It is the kind of cozy pasta dinner everyone loves, just like our marry me chicken.
Key Ingredients
Here is what goes into this creamy chicken broccoli alfredo. A few simple swaps in the sauce make it extra rich.
- Cooked Chicken: Shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken keeps this fast and easy. Three cups stirs right into the sauce.
- Broccoli Florets: Blanched until crisp-tender and bright green, adding color, freshness, and a little crunch.
- Cream Cheese and Parmesan: The dynamic duo that makes the sauce extra silky, tangy, and deeply cheesy.
- Butter, Flour, and Milk: The base of the homemade alfredo, cooked into a smooth roux and creamy sauce.
- Fettuccine: The classic alfredo noodle, wide enough to catch every bit of that rich, clingy sauce.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe is easy to adapt to whatever you have on hand. Here are some favorite ways to switch it up.
- Change the protein: Use grilled or pan-seared chicken breast, shrimp, or even Italian sausage in place of the shredded chicken.
- Swap the veggies: Try peas, spinach, mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes instead of, or along with, the broccoli.
- Use a different pasta: Penne, rotini, or linguine all work great if you do not have fettuccine.
- Bake it: Transfer to a dish, top with extra cheese, and bake until bubbly for a casserole spin like our chicken alfredo bake.
- Add a kick: Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or cajun seasoning, like our cajun chicken pasta.
- Lighten it up: Use half-and-half in place of the heavy cream and reduced-fat cream cheese for a slightly lighter sauce.
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the broccoli florets for 2 minutes. Strain and immediately plunge into an ice water bath to stop the cooking, then drain well and set aside.
- Wipe out the pot and melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt, and cook for 1 minute to make a roux.
- Slowly whisk in the whole milk, then the chicken stock and heavy cream, until the sauce is completely smooth.
- Add the cubed, softened cream cheese and stir until it is fully melted into the sauce.
- Stir in the grated parmesan until smooth and creamy, then take the sauce off the heat.
- Cook the fettuccine, reserving 2 to 3 cups of pasta water. Add the chicken, broccoli, and noodles to the sauce and toss to coat, loosening with pasta water as needed. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Reserve plenty of pasta water; that starchy liquid is the key to loosening the sauce to the perfect creamy consistency.
- Soften the cream cheese and cube it first so it melts quickly and smoothly into the sauce without lumps.
- Do not skip the ice bath for the broccoli, which keeps it bright green and crisp-tender instead of soft and dull.
- Whisk constantly as you add the liquids to the roux, so the sauce stays silky and lump-free.
- Take the sauce off the heat before adding the parmesan, which helps it melt in smoothly without getting grainy.
- Serve it right away; alfredo is best fresh, as the sauce thickens quickly once it cools.
- Use freshly grated parmesan rather than the pre-shredded kind, which melts more smoothly into the sauce.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This chicken broccoli alfredo is a hearty, all-in-one meal, but a few simple sides make it a full spread. Serve big bowls with warm garlic bread and a crisp Caesar salad to round things out.
It is perfect for cozy family dinners and pairs beautifully with more comforting pasta favorites. Set it out alongside our easy alfredo pasta or a pan of baked ziti for a crowd-pleasing Italian night.
If you are entertaining, start with a simple antipasto and finish with a glass of white wine. The creamy sauce is rich, so a bright green salad or lemony vegetables balance it nicely, the same way they do with our tuscan chicken pasta.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of milk or reserved pasta water stirred in to bring the creamy sauce back to life.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo FAQs
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The sauce thickens as it sits, so reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of milk or reserved pasta water stirred in to loosen it back to a creamy, silky consistency. Heat just until warmed through.
Absolutely, and it is what makes this recipe so fast. Three cups of shredded rotisserie chicken stirs right into the warm sauce. Leftover grilled, baked, or poached chicken works just as well. Just make sure it is already cooked, since it only warms through in the sauce.
Grainy alfredo usually comes from adding the cheese over too high heat or using pre-shredded parmesan, which contains anti-caking agents. Take the sauce off the heat before stirring in the parmesan, use freshly grated cheese, and whisk constantly. The cream cheese in this recipe also helps keep the sauce extra smooth.
You can make the sauce up to two days ahead and refrigerate it, then reheat gently with a splash of milk before tossing with freshly cooked pasta, chicken, and broccoli. Fully assembled alfredo is best fresh, but it reheats well within a few days with a little added liquid.
Cream-based sauces can separate when frozen, so it is best enjoyed fresh. If you do freeze it, store in an airtight container for up to two months, thaw overnight in the fridge, and reheat slowly over low heat while whisking, adding milk or pasta water to bring the sauce back together.
Any pasta shape works in chicken broccoli alfredo. Penne, rotini, rigatoni, and linguine all hold the creamy sauce well. Short shapes are especially nice because they catch the chicken and broccoli in every bite. Use whatever you have in the pantry.
Craving more creamy comfort food? Try our cheesy chicken alfredo bake next.
For a hearty Italian meal, our steak pizzaiola brings restaurant flavor to your kitchen.
Serve a crisp Caesar with our Caesar salad dressing alongside this fettuccine alfredo.
Love a creamy pasta? Our Tuscan chicken pasta comes together in one pot.
Craving comfort food? Our butternut squash pasta bakes up creamy and cheesy.
Need an easy dinner? Our chicken and mushrooms skillet is rich and savory.
Another rotisserie chicken shortcut we love is this chicken broccoli fettuccine alfredo, ready in well under an hour.
Another rotisserie chicken shortcut we love is this chicken broccoli fettuccine alfredo, ready in well under an hour.
For a quick meatless version, my one pan broccoli gnocchi gets its creamy sauce from cream cheese and mozzarella.
If steak night is calling, our creamy Steak Alfredo swaps the chicken for juicy pan seared ribeye.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened and diced
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
For assembly:
- 12 ounces broccoli florets
- 1 pound fettuccine noodles
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
Instructions
- First, blanch the broccoli by placing a large stock pot, or Dutch filled halfway with water and bring it to a boil.12 ounces broccoli florets
- Add the broccoli florets to the boiling water and boil for 2 minutes.
- Immediately strain the broccoli and place it in an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
- Once the broccoli is cold to the touch, strain it well again and set aside.
- Make the sauce by wiping out the Dutch oven or large pot you used to cook the broccoli and melt the butter over medium heat.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Once the butter is melted, whisk in the all-purpose flour, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Once it is whisked together, continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Continuously whisk in the milk to avoid any lumps.1 1/2 cups whole milk
- Continue with the chicken stock, followed by the heavy cream. The mixture should be smooth.1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock, 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Add the cubed, softened cream cheese to the pot and stir it in until melted.8 ounces cream cheese softened and diced
- Lastly, add the parmesan and stir to combine. Take off the heat.1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- While making the sauce, prepare your noodles per the direction on the packaging—reserve 2-3 cups of the cooking liquid.1 pound fettuccine noodles
- Add the chicken and broccoli to the sauce and stir to combine.3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- Add the noodles and stir until everything is coated, if the sauce seems too thick, add some of the cooking liquid to loosen it up.
- Serve immediately, you may need to add more cooking liquid if thickened too much.
Notes
- Don’t forget to reserve pasta water—it’s great for thinning the sauce.
- Cook the pasta al dente so it doesn’t get mushy when mixed with the sauce.
- Use medium heat or medium-high heat to avoid burning the sauce.
- Soften the cream cheese before adding—it melts more easily.
- Always taste the sauce and adjust the black pepper and kosher salt to your liking.
- Stir everything with care to keep the tender broccoli florets from falling apart.
Nutrition
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This was so much fun to make and tasted even better than it looks.