Chicken Alfredo Linguine is incredibly tasty. Perfectly composed spices will make you come back to this recipe often. It’s a simple combination of parmesan, garlic, and heavy whipping cream that you can prepare in 15 minutes! Chicken Alfredo Pasta is one of the most popular Italian recipes.
How to choose the best ingredients for Chicken Alfredo Linguine
Chicken Breasts: The best skinless chicken breasts to bake in the air fryer is medium-sized, with a maximum of 250 gr (8oz) per chicken breast. Size matters when baking in the Air Fryer. If you have larger ones, it is best to cut them lengthwise so that they bake evenly.
Pasta of choice: Original, good-quality Italian pasta will not appear uniform but will have a rough texture. Fettucine pasta will also work for this recipe. I’m also sure that any of your favorite pasta will also go well with this dish.
Heavy cream: must be fresh. To make authentic alfredo pasta do not use low fat milk in fact any milk or cream cheese, sour cream.
Parmesan Cheese: You can choose Grana Padano or Pargamino Reggiano. I love the latter because it has a rich, buttery flavor, while Grana Padano is more delicate.
Butter: I definitely choose butter without additives and salt. The dish is already salty because of the parmesan. This product is one of the key ingredients, so it’s worth it to be of good quality. Make this recipe and see what an explosion of flavors butter alone can provide!
Italian Seasoning: It is usually a mixture of oregano, basil, thyme, and sage. If you don’t have it, you can make it yourself at home. The base is the first three ingredients; sage can be an addition, but you don’t have to.
Fresh Parsley: I definitely recommend fresh parsley, finely chopped parsley. You can also use frozen if you have it. However, I do not recommend using dried, as it does not give that taste and aroma. Additionally, it will no longer have such a green, refreshing color in Alfredo sauce, and I admit that most people add this ingredient at the end to retain its color.
Black Pepper or White Pepper: freshly ground pepper will make the dish perfect; the aroma it imparts is amazing. White pepper has an intense, stimulating aroma, sometimes with slightly lemony notes. The taste is milder than black pepper.
Tips and Tricks Chicken Alfredo
- I assume there is quite a lot of salt in this dish because we salt the pasta, the meat, and the parmesan is also quite salty. For me, this is enough not to add it to the recipe. Parsley also enhances the taste of salt.
- Cook everything at the same time to maximize its use, and the easy chicken alfredo recipe will be ready in 15 minutes.
- Do you prefer your dishes spicier? You can customize the spice level of your chicken alfredo linguine. Whether you choose to prepare a hotter chicken or add chili flakes to the sauce, the choice is yours, and the result will be a dish that perfectly suits your taste.
Sides To Serve Chicken Alfredo Linguine
You can serve this easy pasta recipe with a Salad with Roasted Seeds. I like to add vegetables to the dish, but there are no vegetables in the recipe. So, such a portion of salad will be perfect and will additionally emphasize its taste. Also ideal for the dish are Green Asparagus in Garlic Butter or cooked blanched broccoli (You can learn how to do it in the Blanched Broccoli Quinoa Salad recipe). You can also add these vegetables during the recipe (at the end). I am sure that the whole family will be delighted with this simple pasta dish.
Substitute for Chicken Alfredo Linguine
All recipes based on heavy cream can be a substitute for this recipe Creamy Pasta alla Carbonara or the version without meat Creamy Spinach Pasta. Indulge in the exquisite taste of the Lemon Alfredo pasta, a modified version of Alfredo Sauce. Served with asparagus, dried tomatoes, and parmesan-breaded meat, this recipe will transport you to the finest restaurants. Its rich flavors will surely stay in your memory for a long time, so it will be a good option for a date night..
How to store Alfredo Sauce
If you want, you can prepare the sauce in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days in a tightly closed container. You can use an empty jar for this, for example. I have never frozen the sauce, but you can freeze dairy products, and you can freeze this sauce, too. I would freeze it for up to 2 months to ensure it still tastes good.
However, I still encourage you to refrain from freezing this sauce because the preparation time is very short. Just 15 minutes is enough for you to enjoy this delicious sauce. It is so tasty that you would rather lick the plate and the pot than leave the leftovers to freeze.
It’s important to note that I don’t recommend freezing the sauce already mixed with the pasta. During defrosting, the pasta tends to absorb the sauce, altering its structure and taste. This can significantly affect the overall dish, so it’s best to avoid freezing pasta with the sauce.
Chicken Alfredo Linguine Step-by-Step
Alfredo pasta is a very easy and quick recipe. When making this dish, it’s helpful to have a list of the steps to make the most of your time. Once you try this classic chicken alfredo, your taste buds will crave this recipe for more than just special occasions.
You can marinate the chicken breasts a day or a few hours earlier and bake them later in the air fryer, but this is not necessary.
Remember to multitask when cooking to ensure that everything is ready at the same time. While the pasta is boiling, I use the air fryer to bake the chicken breasts. You can try my recipe Air Fryer Chicken Breast. You can try my recipe for juicy chicken breasts ready in just 15 minutes with simple ingredients!
This way, both the pasta and the chicken will be ready to serve simultaneously, making the dining experience more enjoyable.
Step 1: Before starting the sauce, prepare all the ingredients so that you have everything ready. Slice the garlic cloves, chop the parsley, and grate the parmesan.
Step 2: The next step prepare a large pot of salted water. When the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Cook pasta until al dente. The sauce is quick to make, and the pasta should be added while it’s still warm. Sometimes, you can also add some cup of the pasta water to the sauce as it thickens.
Step 3: In the next step we will prepare authentic alfredo sauce. Melt butter medium-low heat. Once the butter is completely melted, add the garlic and stir constantly to prevent it from burning. Don’t worry about using a lot of garlic, and it doesn’t need to be grated or crushed. This method reduces the risk of burning and allows the garlic to caramelize, giving the dish a wonderful aroma. Trust me, everyone loves garlic in Alfredo Pasta!
Step 4: I prefer to slightly brown the butter until it takes on a nutty flavor, which pairs well with the parmesan. When the butter and garlic reach the perfect color, which usually takes about 6 minutes on low heat, they should be ready at the same time.
Step 5: In the next step, add the cream and mix everything gently so that the cream combines with the butter.
Step 6: Then add the Parmesan cheese and stir vigorously until it dissolves. at this point, the cream sauce is already being created
Step 7: You have two options in this step either you drain the pasta and add it to the alfredo sauce, then you absolutely have to reserve pasta water. The second option is the one I practice – I cook the linguine paste close to the burner with the sauce and put it directly into this creamy sauce. Could you transfer the al dente linguine to the pan with the great sauce and continue mixing? I always cook the pasta on the burner next to it so I can quickly transfer it to the sauce.
Step 8: If the sauce is very thick, add ½ cup of pasta water and continue to mix. Add fresh but not cooked parsley and mix well.
Meanwhile, roast the Air Fryer chicken breasts. If you need to season with kosher salt and white pepper (you can also use black pepper, although it gives a more spicy flavor)
Remove the Alfredo pasta from the hot burner and set it aside to prevent it from boiling any longer.
After removing the chicken breasts from the air fryer, slice them and place a piece of chicken in the pan with the alfredo pasta linguine. Then, serve. Believe me, this delicious creamy sauce is my favorite meal my family!
Everyone adds their preferred ingredients, whether it’s chicken or pasta. But one thing is for sure: everyone, even my children, fights over those caramelized garlic slices!
Enjoy!
Chicken Alfredo Linguine
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized chicken breasts
- 8 oz linguine pasta
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 clove garlic
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup pasta water optional
- Fresh grated black pepper for taste
Instructions
- Alfredo pasta is a very easy and quick recipe. When making this dish, it is worth having a list of what you are doing to make the most of your time.You can marinate the chicken breasts a day or a few hours earlier and bake them later in the air fryer, but this is not necessary.Remember to multitask when cooking to ensure that everything is ready at the same time. While the pasta is boiling, I use the air fryer to bake the chicken breasts. This way, both the pasta and the chicken will be ready to serve simultaneously, making the dining experience more enjoyable.
- Before you start making the sauce, prepare all the ingredients so that you have everything on hand. Chop the garlic into slices, chop the parsley, and grate the parmesan.
- The next step is to add the water for the linguine. The sauce is quick to make, and the pasta should be added warm to it. Sometimes, you can also add the pasta water to the sauce as it gets thick.
- Next, melt the butter over low heat. When the butter is completely melted, add the garlic and stir constantly so that it doesn't burn. Don't worry that there's a lot of garlic, and it's not grated or crushed by the press. In this version, there's less chance that it will burn and it will also caramelize and give the dish a beautiful aroma. Believe me, everyone likes the garlic in Alfredo Pasta.
- I like the butter to burn slightly and take on a slightly brown color. This gives it a slightly nutty flavor that goes perfectly with the parmesan. Once you get the perfect color of butter and garlic, they always go at the same time, as we do it on low heat for about 6 minutes.
- In the next step, add the cream and mix everything gently so that the cream combines with the butter.
- Then add the Parmesan and stir vigorously until it dissolves.
- We transfer the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce and continue to mix. I always cook the pasta on the burner next to it so I can quickly transfer it to the sauce.
- If the sauce is very thick, add ½ cup water paste to the sauce and continue to mix. Add parsley so that it is not cooked but fresh, and mix well.In the meantime, the Air Fryer chicken breasts should be roasted.Remove the alfredo pasta from the hot burner and set aside so it doesn't boil any longer.I remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer and cut them into slices. I place them on the pan with the alfredo pasta linguine and serve.
- Everyone adds what they want more of, whether chicken or pasta, but one thing is for sure: everyone, even my children, fights about those caramelized garlic slices!
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use other types of pasta instead of linguine?
Yes! Depending on your preference, you can substitute linguine with other pasta types, such as fettuccine, spaghetti, or penne. For me, fettuccine is the closest in taste, but tagliatelle would also work perfectly.
Is Chicken Alfredo Linguine gluten-free?
Traditional linguine pasta contains gluten, but you can easily make a gluten-free version by using gluten-free pasta. Also, make sure that any sauces or additional ingredients are gluten-free. As a rule, we do not add products containing gluten to the sauce itself. However, to be sure, check the ingredients provided by the manufacturer.
Can I make Chicken Alfredo Linguine ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare it ahead of time, but the sauce may thicken as it sits. When reheating, add a splash of milk or cream to loosen up the sauce and bring it back to its creamy consistency. Another way to prevent the sauce from becoming too thick is to avoid adding the pasta water while cooking. However, I believe my recipe will only take 15 minutes to prepare, so there’s no need to make it earlier; it will taste the best when made fresh.
Is there a dairy-free version of Chicken Alfredo Linguine?
Yes! To make a dairy-free version, you can use:
- Coconut milk or cashew cream for the sauce base.
- Dairy-free butter and Parmesan substitutes. There are many plant-based alternatives available to create a creamy Alfredo sauce.
I only have a little experience with vegan recipes, but I know that there are substitutes that you won’t taste. If you make such a recipe, please share the result with me!