Chicken Alfredo Pasta
A classic built on very little: a cream and cheese sauce, tender chicken over the top, and not much time between starting and eating. We make ours with PastaZARA Penne Rigate, part of the Pasta Zara range we distribute across the Maldives. Cooked, it stays pleasantly chewy and holds the cream sauce rather than letting it slide off — which makes it useful well beyond this dish.
Ingredients List
- For cooking pasta
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 200 g PastaZARA Penne Rigate
- For cooking chicken
- 1 large chicken breast (around 280-300g)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- For the alfredo sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¾ cup cooking cream/heavy cream
- 1/3 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
Step-by-Step Method
- 1
To start off, add 4 cups of water and 1 tsp salt to a large pot and bring to a boil on high heat. This will take around 7 to 8 minutes. Then add in 200g PastaZARA Penne Rigate and cook for 12 to 13 minutes until the pasta is soft and chewy. Turn off the heat and save ¼ cup of the pasta water and drain the rest. Set the pasta and pasta water aside.
- 2
Slice 1 large chicken breast evenly from the middle horizontally to make two thin chicken breasts. Then make shallow cuts on top of each, around 1/2-inch spaced out.
- 3
Season the chicken with ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp chilli powder, and ½ tsp garlic powder.
- 4
On medium-low heat, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter on a large pan for around 1 minute. Place in the chicken breasts and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on medium heat on each side. Make sure to move the chicken breasts every once in a while, so it doesn’t burn. Adjust the heat if it gets too hot or low.
- 5
Remove the chicken breasts and set aside in a plate. Cover the plate with some food wrap so that the chicken stays moist.
- 6
To the same pan, add in 2 tbsp unsalted butter and melt on medium heat for around a minute. Then add in ½ cup finely diced onion and 1 tbsp minced garlic. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until they start to brown.
- 7
Then add in 1 tsp chilli flakes and ½ tsp oregano and cook for another minute or so. Add in ¾ cup cooking or heavy cream along with the pasta water that was set aside, 1/3 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper. Stir and cook the sauce on medium low heat for 2 more minutes.
- 8
Add in ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese, 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese, and 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley. Stir and cook for another minute on low heat.
- 9
Lastly, add in the cooked pasta, stir cook for another minute. Serve the pasta on a plate with chicken on the side.