Blackened Chicken Alfredo is a simple dinner recipe that combines my Fettuccine Alfredo and my Blackened Chicken in the most delightful way. Done in about 25 minutes, you will love this restaurant-quality meal that is made easily in your own kitchen.
One of my favorite things about my job is showing people who think that they can’t cook that anyone can cook. I love taking recipes that look complex and breaking them down into manageable pieces and showing off just how easy it is for anyone to make a delicious dinner.
This blackened chicken alfredo is the perfect example. It has show-stopper vibes, but it is just the combination of two extremely easy recipes. With my broken-down steps and detailed instructions, anyone can make this delicious dinner.
How to Make Alfredo with Blackened Chicken
This easy chicken alfredo recipe comes together in a few simple steps. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Make the fettuccine. Bring a pot of water to a roaring boil and cook the noodles according to the box directions.
- Make the blackened chicken. Rub the chicken cutlets with cajun seasoning and oil and add them to a hot skillet. Cook for one to two minutes on each side.
- Bake the chicken. Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking dish and bake until the chicken registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant-read thermometer.
- Make the alfredo sauce. Whisk together the heavy cream and the butter in a large skillet. Allow to simmer, then stir in the parmesan cheese until it is melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the sauce with the fettuccine. Cut up the chicken and serve on top of the fettuccine.
Cooking Fettuccini
Cooking pasta is one of the easiest parts of most pasta-based recipes, but there are a few things that help make sure it’s perfect.
- Make sure to use enough water. The water in your pot should more than just cover the pasta; it needs room to comfortably expand. You will need about four quarts of water.
- Bring your water to a roaring boil. Don’t add any pasta until you see large and frequent bubbles.
- Salt the water. I always add between one and two teaspoons of kosher salt to my pasta water before putting in the dry noodles.
- Stir the noodles regularly. Fettuccine is notorious for sticking together. Give it a good stir with tongs when you first add it to the boiling water and keep stirring every few minutes to break it up.
- Follow the directions on the box and set a timer. I always turn on a timer when I add dry noodles to boiling water. Use the time listed on the box and test your noodles to make sure they are al dente before draining them.
- Drizzle some olive oil. Once your fettuccine is cooked, drizzle some olive oil and toss until the rest of the meal is ready. This will prevent the noodles from drying out and sticking together.
Instant Read Thermometer
Blackened Chicken
Blackened chicken is made with my Cajun Seasoning and takes just minutes to prepare and make. Blackened describes meat that is dredged in seasoning and cooked in a very hot skillet. The high heat blackens the seasonings on the chicken, giving the outside a dark brown or black appearance.
The keys to making blackened chicken are to use a really hot skillet without anything in it and to know that the chicken will not be fully cooked until it is baked. Using a meat thermometer will ensure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked without being overdone.
Cast Iron Skillet
Cajun Seasoning for Blackened Chicken
The key to blackened chicken is cajun seasoning. While you can purchase cajun seasoning, I love using my homemade recipe. It is made with ingredients that you likely already have on hand. The best part of making homemade seasonings is that you can adjust them to suit your needs. In this recipe, you can make it more or less spicy and you can adjust the amount of sodium used. Get the full details in the post linked below.
Cajun Seasoning Recipe
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
This easy alfredo sauce is made with just three ingredients and tastes so much better than store-bought white sauce. It is what ties together this chicken fettuccine alfredo recipe.
For the best alfredo sauce, you are going to want to grate the parmesan from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is covered in preservatives that help it not stick together, but prevent it from melting well. In a recipe where the cheese is melted to make a sauce, good melting is crucial. You will be so glad that you took the time to freshly grate the cheese.
Once your sauce is done, be sure to taste it and add more salt and pepper as needed. The seasoning at the end really pulls together the dish, so be sure to play with this.
Alfredo Sauce
Blackenend Chicken Alfredo Variations
- Make the fettuccine alfredo with blackened shrimp (or blackened salmon!) instead of chicken.
- Add broccoli to the fettuccine and sauce mixture for some added nutrients, color, and flavor.
Leftover Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken
I don’t recommend reheating this recipe. Since there is no flour in this sauce, it separates when reheating. This will happen whether reheated over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. So, enjoy it while it is fresh and warm!
FAQ
Coating chicken in spices and cooking at high heat. This chars the outside of the meat giving it a “black” appearance while keeping the inside juicy, creating a great flavor.
No, I do not recommend freezing this recipe because of the issues related to reheating.
Yes, this blackened chicken alfredo recipe would be delicious with any pasta.
What to Serve With Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Round out your meal by serving it with one of these delicious sides.
If you make this blackened chicken alfredo recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a comment and let me know what you think.
Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fettuccine cooked according to package instructions
Alfredo Sauce
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded (2.5 ounces)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (add more to taste)
- fresh black pepper (add more to taste)
Blackened Chicken
- 3 tablespoons cajun seasoning (see breakdown of spices in notes)
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cutlets
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a roaring boil. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the length of time suggested on the package. Stir immediately after adding it to the water and then frequently while it is boiling.1/2 pound fettuccine
Blackened Chicken
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until it is smoking. This will take about 5 minutes. Please note that you are not adding anything to this skillet while it is preheating.
- Mix the cajun seasoning with the oil. Rub it all over the chicken cutlets.3 tablespoons cajun seasoning, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Add the prepared chicken to the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant read thermometer.
Alfredo Sauce
- In a skillet over medium heat, whisk together the heavy cream and the butter until the butter is melted. Bring it to a simmer and turn the heat down low. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You should see occasional bubbles.2 cups heavy cream, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Stir in the parmesan cheese until it melts. Season with salt and pepper, tasting and adding more as needed. We typically add about 3/4 teaspoon salt and almost 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. The seasoning at the end really pulls together the dish, so be sure to play with this.1 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, fresh black pepper
- Toss the fettuccine with sauce. Cut up the chicken and serve on top of the fettuccine.
Notes
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- dash cayenne pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
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