Easy Chicken Alfredo Recipe

Today it’s an amazing chicken alfredo that’s packed with flavor, just a couple ingredients, comes together in a snap, and there’s not even any heavy cream—it’s a little bit lighter.

Preparing the Chicken and Pasta

You can buy some grilled chicken, you can grill your own, you can bake some chicken. I ended up just browning mine in a little bit of butter with salt and pepper and then baking it until it’s done through at 375 °F. Cover it with foil while it’s resting and then come back to it about 20 minutes later.

For this recipe you can choose a pasta of your choice. I made a batch of fettuccine: set a large pot of water to boil, salt generously, and then cook your pasta according to the directions on the package. Reserve one cup of that magical pasta water. You can make your pasta a little early; just add a dab of butter to it so it won’t stick and it’ll be delicious and ready for you when your sauce is done.

Garlic and Cheese Prep

My recipe calls for three cloves of garlic, thinly sliced. When I prep my garlic, I like to give it a little smash; that really releases the skin and wakes the garlic up, helping it release its oils. Give your garlic a thin slice—a sharp knife really helps. When you’re cutting, use your fingernail as a guide so it’s held with the tips of your fingers vertically; that way there’s no finger-chopping.

I have 1 cup of shredded fontina cheese. That’s the sort of thing that you shred on your own; you don’t buy shredded fontina. If we have a little bit more, that’s totally fine—this is a really nice, gooey cheese you’re going to love in the sauce.

Making the Sauce

Go onto the burner on medium heat; add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Let that heat up for a second—you’ll see ripples on the surface when it’s ready. Add the sliced garlic and stir frequently. Once your garlic is toasted, start adding in about 9 cups of spinach; it seems like a lot, but it’ll all go down to nothing. Add about a quarter teaspoon of chili flakes (optional) and half a teaspoon of salt.

After the spinach is wilted—and it’s releasing water, which prevents the garlic from burning—add your cup of fontina cheese as well as 4 ounces (half a package) of cream cheese. Stir until it’s all combined. Heat all the way down to low.

Bringing It Together

Add your pasta in batches, a little at a time. If the pasta gets thick, lubricate it with the reserved pasta water a little at a time until you reach the right consistency. You can also add black pepper to taste. Once you have the pasta-to-sauce ratio you like, take it off the heat.

Stir in a quarter cup of Greek yogurt; thin it out with a bit more pasta water if needed. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper.

Serving

Plate the pasta with the prepared chicken. Open a glass of white wine if you like—everything works together and is just so simple. Sometimes the simplest things are best.