Creamy Loaded Chicken Alfredo Pasta
A quick and easy creamy chicken Alfredo pasta loaded with mushrooms and spinach, perfect for cozy weeknight dinners. This recipe combines tender chicken, rich Alfredo sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta for a comforting meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized strips
- 12 ounces fettuccine pasta (can substitute penne or linguine)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Pat the chicken strips dry and season with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettuccine pasta according to package instructions (about 10-12 minutes) until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set pasta aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until tender and browned. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and melt. Slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Gradually stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Add cooked pasta, seared chicken, and baby spinach to the sauce. Toss gently to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Wilt spinach slightly but keep vibrant.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan or cracked black pepper if desired.
Notes
Do not overcook chicken to keep it juicy. Use freshly grated Parmesan for best sauce texture. Simmer cream gently to avoid curdling. Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. Add spinach last to keep it vibrant. Multitask by boiling pasta while prepping chicken and mushrooms.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 38
- Saturated Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 40
Keywords: chicken Alfredo, creamy pasta, comfort food, easy dinner, loaded pasta, fettuccine, mushrooms, spinach