Meet the chicken pasta recipe of your dreams! Creamy Chicken Alfredo with sun dried tomato, spinach and bacon, you’ll love how the seasoned shredded chicken acts like a mop for the alfredo sauce. A quick 20 minute dinner!
Chicken Pasta recipe – loaded!
This is the pasta you make when you’ve had a bad day and you need a pick me up.
This is the pasta you make when you’ve had a great day, and want to finish on a high note.
This is the pasta you make when you need a quick dinner that everyone will devour.
And this is the pasta that you make just because there are few things in this world that can rival the feeling of complete and utter satisfaction as you slurp down a big bowl of creamy chicken pasta!
What you need
Here’s what you need. Just a quick note on a few of the items:
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Wine – the secret ingredient! Wine gives the sauce that extra little something-something that gives the creamy Alfredo Sauce a restauaranty edge. If we’re going to make a luxe creamy pasta, let’s do it right! Non alcoholic sub – more chicken broth.
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Parmesan – make sure it’s either freshly grated OR use the store bought finely shredded parmesan that looks like small thin batons. Do not use the store bought sand-like parmesan, it doesn’t melt properly in the sauce.
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Sun Dried Tomato – you can skip this if you want, but it does give this pasta recipe an extra little za-za-zoom! I use the healthy no-oil strips, but you can absolutely use the type sold in jars in oil.
You’ll love how the seasoned shredded chicken acts like a mop for the creamy alfredo sauce!
Shredding the chicken is not something I’ve done for pastas I’ve previously shared. It works really well for this chicken pasta because the creamy sauce kind of clings to the chicken, making the overall eating experience even juicier and more slurp-worthy (if that were possible! 😂).
Quick 20 minute chicken dinner
This is terrifically quick and easy to make with a nice flow to it. Cook the chicken while the pasta cooking water comes to the boil. Then make the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
You’ll have dinner on the table in 20 minutes, and plates mopped clean minutes thereafter. How good is that??! ~ Nagi x
PS If you’re worried that this is a bit more indulgent that your usual midweek pasta, don’t let that stop you. It’s totally worth it – and you can eat air for dinner tomorrow 😉
More creamy pasta recipes
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Fettuccine Alfredo – classic fettuccine with Alfredo sauce
Watch how to make it
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Chicken Pasta recipe of your dreams!
Ingredients
- 300g / 10 oz fettuccine (Note 1)
- 30g / 2 tbsp butter , separated
- 2 chicken breasts , cut in half horizontally
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine (sub more chicken broth)
- 1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock / broth , low sodium
- 1 1/4 cups (315ml) cream , thickened / heavy (Note 2)
- 3/4 cup (75g) parmesan , finely shredded (Note 3)
- 70g / 2.5oz baby spinach
- 100 g / 3oz sun dried tomato strips (Note 4)
Serving:
- 120g / 4oz bacon , cooked and crumbled
- More parmesan
- Parsley , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for time per packet minus 1 1/2 minutes.
- Just before draining, scoop out a mugful of pasta cooking water. Then drain pasta.
Chicken:
- Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.
- Melt half the butter in a large skillet over hig heat.
- Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side until deep golden.
- Remove chicken onto plate, rest for a few minutes then shred with 2 forks.
Alfredo Sauce:
- Turn down heat to medium high. In the same skillet, add remaining butter and garlic.
- Cook garlic for 30 seconds until golden, then add wine.
- Simmer rapidly, stirring to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Once mostly evaporated, add chicken broth, cream, parmesan and sun dried tomato.
- Simmer on medium for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring leisurely, until it reduces and thickens.
Essential Tossing:
- Add spinach, chicken and cooked pasta.
- Toss for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes on the stove, until sauce thickens and coats the pasta strands (see VIDEO). Use pasta cooking water if needed if it gets too thick.
- Serve immediately with parmesan, crumbled bacon and parsley (if desired).
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Another weekend of fun at Rick Stein’s Bannisters in Port Stephens! The RecipeTin Family took our mother up for a belated Mother’s Day weekend away. This photo was taken from outside her room – top floor, stunning views, huge sunny terrace and an extra large room.
In fact, everyone stayed up in the “good” rooms while I was relegated to the a ground floor room for easy pooping access to the lawn for Dozer. 😩
This is one of ours favourite dishes in our house. Made it many times now and every time empty plates. Delicious
Hi Nagi,
My husband only cooks BBQ’s however he made this pasta dish tonight and it was superb. My husband was impressed how easily your recipe was to follow. Hopefully he will continue to try more of your delicious recipes.
Made this again tonight- resounding success! Absolutely divine! I love this recipe 😍😍
My family and I loved this dish!!! I’m actually due to give birth soon and was wondering if I could freeze this dish in advance to have after baby is born. Do you reckon it’ll be okay to try??
I can’t believe I cooked something so decadent! Incredibly easy to cook and my husband actually got down on one knee and asked me to marry him again haha will absolutely be making this again.
Yum, Yum, Yum. Absolutely love this recipe. Your explanation of when to cook this dish is perfect too. It fits any time and for any reason. Will be on my go to list of meals. I didnt have any cream so substituted full cream milk and cornflour but still worked a treat 🙂
Please give American measurements with your recipes. ie: cup, teaspoon, tablespoon.
Hi Denise, the cups and tablespoons are listed there – I use an Australian cup but I also list the metric amounts which is a standard no matter where you’re located. N x
This is on my list of favorite Recipe Tin recipes. Loved this, and it’s very easy. I made one minor change that doesn’t change the flavor: I cut the chicken into strips rather than shredding the chicken. This is the way our family prefers it. One other comment I would make is that I used grated parmesan (sandy type). Maybe its the brand I get but I had no problem with the cheese melting. This is a great dish that can be done on a weeknight…or for guests!
Will this recipe work without the Parmesan cheese?
Hi Wendy, the parmesan thickens the sauce – you could use another tasty/cheddar cheese in its place if you like. N x
I had some leftovers in my fridge to use. I added some steak with the chicken, broccoli and corn. It was a hit!
Absolutely delicious!!!
Oh my gosh! This Chicken Pasta recipe is so easy and so absolutely delicious! I can’t imagine ANYONE opening up a jar from the grocery store and expecting anything close to this! It just won’t happen! Next up your incredible looking Beef Stew recipe, Nagi! The beef is thawing…Thank-you!!!
Fabulous!!!
This definitely was the pasta of my dreams but I never thought I would be able to make it myself. The sauce was so rich and a perfectly balanced flavour from just a few ingredients. As I type, I have the leftovers heating up. This was like a pasta dish from a nice restaurant. Thanks for ANOTHER great recipe!
Yum yum yum! This is so good thanks nagi!
Wonderful taste, delicious and fast! I’ve made this several times and it’s great every time! Thanks, Nagi for a fantastic dish!
Could I substitute chicken for sausage?
Sure can Tanya! N x
This was a fav with my family. Very easy very yum. Thx Nagi
Amazing recipe! It’s my second time making this. Can I just use full white wine only and no chicken broth? I mean substituting the chicken broth with just white wine. Thanks Nagi X