This creamy gluten-free chicken alfredo recipe is comfort food at its best made with a flourless homemade alfredo sauce, tender pieces of chicken and your favorite gluten-free fettuccine pasta. This easy dinner recipe is ready in under 25 minutes.
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This creamy pasta recipe is delicious on its own as a complete meal. But you can add gluten-free garlic bread and a classic house salad to make it a true Italian feast. Or try a side of sauteed rainbow chard or sauteed broccolini.
📖Why My Recipe Works
- Flourless Alfredo Sauce- This quick and easy sauce is made in the same pan you make the chicken in, giving it extra flavor.
- Secret Seasoning- I use Italian seasoning on my chicken, it just gives it a little bit of extra flavor and makes this recipe unique.
- Customizable- there are so many options of things that you can add to this pasta to make it a full meal, from steamed broccoli to sauteed mushrooms. It is a great way to clean out the fridge.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breast- I typically use boneless skinless chicken breast. You can also use chicken thighs and if you're in a pinch feel free to substitute a rotisserie chicken and skip the Italian seasoning.
- Italian Seasoning- Double-check the salt content of any seasoning blend. Omit or reduce the added salt in the recipe to offset if needed.
- Gluten-Free Pasta- I like to use homemade gluten-free pasta but you can use your favorite gluten-free fettuccine or other shaped noodle. Don't forget to salt your pasta water when cooking. I use between 12 ounces and a pound of pasta.
- Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese- Use fresh ground, not shredded and no shelf stable, for the best result.
- Heavy Cream- This recipe relies on heavy cream do not use milk or half and half or the sauce will not be thick enough. If you don't have heavy whipping cream you can use a scant cup of milk combined with two ounces of cream cheese.
- Unsalted Butter- Please make sure your butter is unsalted otherwise, you need to reduce the amount of salt on the chicken and in the sauce.
Optional Add-Ins
Include veggies like broccoli, frozen peas, blanched green beans, baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, or leeks. You can add fresh basil instead of parsley.
💭 Alfredo Pasta Variations
Chicken Pasta Bake
Follow the recipe as-is but slightly under cook the pasta. I recommend a penne pasta for baked pasta recipes. Transfer the combined pasta, sauce, and cooked chicken to a greased casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese, I recommend mozzarella. Bake at 375 F degrees for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Cajun Chicken Alfredo
To make it a spicy chicken alfredo you can use my homemade Cajun seasoning or just substitute the Cajun alfredo sauce recipe for the regular. I like to skip the Italian seasoning and use an equal amount of Cajun seasoning on the chicken and then add the rest to the sauce.
⏲️ How to Make Gluten-Free Chicken Alfredo
Chop the chicken into one-inch cubes, then season generously with salt and Italian seasoning.
Cook the chicken until it's fully done, about 7 to 10 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Once cooked, set the chicken aside on a plate but keep the flavorful pan as is.
To make the gluten-free alfredo sauce, melt the butter over low heat. Scraping up all those tasty chicken bits!
As the butter melts and starts frothing with white bubbles, it's time to pour in the heavy cream. Sprinkle in the remaining salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg for that extra warmth.
Stirring frequently, let the mix simmer gently. It will thicken slightly.
Off the heat, gradually whisk in the Parmesan cheese, stirring until the sauce is perfectly smooth.
Finally, mix back in the chicken along with the cooked pasta, ensuring everything is evenly coated in that rich, creamy sauce. A sprinkle of parsley on top, and it's ready to dazzle your dinner table.
👩🏻🍳Jen's Testing Notes
- Do not thicken the sauce with cornstarch. If your sauce is too thin, simply simmer over low heat, stirring constantly. Or add in a scoop of cream cheese.
- If your sauce is too thick, you can thin it with pasta water. If you didn't make pasta, try adding 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it thins out.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm the pasta and sauce over low heat on the stove, adding a splash of milk or water to thin the sauce if necessary.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Gluten-Free Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless and skinless
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or other nuetral oil
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 1¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese see notes
- 12 ounces gluten-free pasta cooked
- ½ cup fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and the Italian seasoning.1 pound chicken breast, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through. Move the fully cooked chicken to a plate and set aside. Do not wash the pan.1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over low heat. Scrap up the chicken bits as it melts. melted and it begins froth (i.e. has white bubbles on top). Once it begins to froth, stir in the heavy cream, remaining salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and cook on low for 5 to 6 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Remove the pan from the heat, gradually add the cheese, and stir until the parmesan is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.1¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Stir in the cooked chicken and pasta, toss to coat. Top with the parsley and serve.12 ounces gluten-free pasta, ½ cup fresh parsley
Notes
- Use fresh ground, not shredded parmesan or shelf-stable parmesan from a can. This will give the sauce a silky smooth texture.
- Substitute white pepper for black pepper if you don't want the black flecks in the sauce.
- You can use anywhere from 12 to 16 ounces of pasta in this recipe.
- If the sauce is too thick you can thin with a little pasta water.
- Lemon Zest - Make it pasta al limone with the zest of 2 lemons. Do not use the juice as it will cause the creamy alfredo sauce to seize.
- Roasted Garlic- Add 2 to 3 cloves of mashed garlic in with the cream to give the sauce a lovely sweetness.
- Fresh Garlic- Add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the butter and saute for 30 seconds before adding the cream.
Equipment
Nutrition
Common Recipe Questions
Is Alfredo sauce gluten-free?
Traditional alfredo is made with just butter and cheese. But in the US it is typically a cream sauce made with a roux (a mix of flour and butter). This is especially true at restaurants like Olive Garden. This version of fettuccine chicken alfredo is flourless and celiac-safe as long as you use a gluten-free pasta.
How can I ensure my sauce is silky and not gritty?
Gradually add the parmesan cheese to the sauce, stirring constantly, and use freshly grated cheese rather than pre-grated.
Elizabeth says
Whole family loved it!
Sam says
It was delicious! Directions were easy to follow as a non-cooker! Just be sure you buy enough freshly grated parmesan cheese! I thought a single 4oz pack would be enough for 1 3/4 cup but I was mistaken and had to run to the store mid-cooking! Beginner’s lesson. But everything turned out delicious!!
Jen Wooster says
Thanks for the review!