Blackened Chicken Alfredo

Blackened Chicken Alfredo exploding with juicy, Cajun spice rubbed chicken and creamy Parmesan pasta on your table in 30 minutes!

This Blackened Chicken Alfredo is quick, easy and restaurant delicious (perfect for upcoming Father’s Day)!  It boasts everything you love about traditional chicken Alfredo, but with a Cajun infused twist!  To make this easy recipe, chicken fillets are pounded thin so they’re incredibly tender, coated in blackening seasoning then pan seared to create a charred, boldly seasoned exterior giving way to a buttery, juicy interior. The luxurious Alfredo sauce is infused with blackening seasoning, fresh garlic, butter and Parmesan and utilizes both chicken broth and heavy cream so it boasts double the flavor without all the guilt!  Serve this Blackened Chicken Alfredo with fresh tomato cucumber salad or baked Parmesan asparagus along with some Parmesan breadsticks for a complete meal the whole family will love!

If you love Cajun inspired pasta recipes, look no further!  Along with this Blackened Chicken Alfredo recipe, you’ll love Cajun Shrimp Pasta, Cajun Chicken Pasta and Cajun Chicken Alfredo Bake. Also don’t miss traditional fettuccine Alfredo!

How to make Blackened Chicken Alfredo Video

 

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Why This Chicken Alfredo Recipe Works

This Blackened Chicken Alfredo is one of my favorite pasta recipes to date and so worth the occasional calorie splurge.  The chicken and pasta are swaddled in intoxicating buttery, Parmesan Alfredo sauce spiked with just the right kick of Cajun heat.  The creamy sauce is the perfect contrast to the silky noodles and juicy, crusted chicken.  This recipe is ridiculously delicious, ridiculously easy and about to become a new repeat favorite!  Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:

• Quick and easy.  This Chicken Alfredo recipe might look fancy, but trust me, it is SO easy!  Season the chicken, sear the chicken and simmer the sauce and in less than 30 minutes, you’ll be sinking your teeth into juicy, spicy, smoky chicken fettuccine bathed in the dreamy sauce. 
• Easy, juicy chicken.  The chicken is made of chicken breasts that are sliced through the equator to create fillets.  Pounding these fillets to a uniform thickness makes them uber tender without the need for a marinade.
• Flavorful!  The ingredient list includes a homemade blackening seasoning which is made with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, cayenne etc. and take just seconds to whisk together.  It not only envelops the chicken in a flavorful crust, but is added to the Alfredo sauce as well for double the flavor without double the work!
• Lighter.  This recipe utilizes my favorite base of creamy sauces – chicken broth + cornstarch + heavy cream instead of using all heavy cream. The cornstarch thickens the sauce and the chicken broth adds a depth of flavor. If you want to go even lighter, you can swap the heavy cream for evaporated milk. 
• Versatile.  This Chicken Alfredo Pasta is incredibly flexible.  You can add veggies such as bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach etc. and add andouille sausage as well!
• Gourmet yet inexpensive. This Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is a rich and satisfying dish that would be at home on any fine-dining menu but you can make it in the comfort of your own home at a fraction of the price of dining out.  And bonus, the leftovers are divine.
• Customizable heat.  YOU are in charge of the heat!  By making this Chicken Alfredo recipe at home, you can add more or less cayenne pepper to control the spice level- so don’t be fooled into thinking this pasta might be too spicy – just flavorful!

What is Blackened Chicken?

“Blackened” is a method of Cajun cooking in which chicken, beef, pork, fish, shrimp, etc. are coated in a spice rub then seared at high heat.  The seasonings char, deepen in flavor and mingle with the butter to create an irresistible dark crust that is smoky, spicy and complex giving way to juicy, tender protein – in this case chicken.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GRILLED AND BLACKENED?

While both cooking methods can develop a flavorful char on the exterior of the food, blackening always involves coating the protein in blackened seasoning first.  Grilled foods can be blackened, but not all grilled foods are blackened.

Blackened foods, on the other hand, are intentionally cooked at higher temperatures to develop the charred crispy crust.

WHERE DID BLACKENING COME FROM?

The blackening technique was populated by Chef Paul Prudhomme.  Chef didn’t have a grill at his New Orleans restaurant, so he used a hot cast iron skillet to develop the charred crust on his proteins.

WHAT IS BLACKENing SEASONING?

You don’t need to be a chef or own a restaurant to make this Blackened Chicken Alfredo!  It all starts with the seasonings. Blackening seasoning is associated with Cajun or Creole cooking. It is a robust blend of herbs and spices resulting in a smoky, spicy, earthy, flavor. 

The red appearance is from the smoked paprika and cayenne pepper.  Please do NOT substitute smoked paprika with regular paprika – the smokiness is everything. 

You can find smoked paprika with the rest of the spices at your grocery store.  I use it in ALL my Mexican recipes, so I promise your purchase will not go to waste. The rest of the blackening seasoning is a mix of common pantry seasonings you probably have on hand already.  You can also customize the heat by using more or less cayenne pepper.

DIY BLACKENing SEASONINGS:

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

INGREDIENTS FOR this CHICKEN alfredo recipe

This Chicken Alfredo recipe is made with easy-to-find, pantry friendly ingredients.  If you don’t already own all of the blackening seasonings, I highly suggest you add them to your pantry – they are staples you will use all the time!  Here’s what you’ll need for this Blackened Chicken Alfredo:

• Chicken breasts: use two medium, boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half to create four cutlets. Thin cutlets cook more evenly, are more tender and soak up more flavor than whole chicken breasts. You can make your own chicken cutlets or you can purchase packaged pre-sliced cutlets. You may also use 4 skinless chicken thighs.
• Spices: the chicken and sauce are seasoned with homemade blackening seasoning which is whisked together and is used to season both the chicken and the sauce.  
• Pasta:  I suggest fettuccine because the silky noodles are divinely slurpalicious coated in the creamy sauce.  
• Butter: use unsalted butter so we can control the salt.
• Olive oil: use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. 
• Garlic: fresh garlic is sautéed over medium-low heat with the butter for several minutes to infuse the sauce with garlicky goodness.  I highly suggest real garlic as opposed to powder in this application.  Still, you may use ¾ teaspoon garlic powder – but the real stuff is so much better.
• Chicken broth: is more flavorful than just heavy cream and has less calories. I always use reduced sodium chicken broth so I can control the salt in the dish. 
• Cornstarch: helps thicken the sauce so its lusciously creamy instead of watery. It allows you to use chicken broth instead of all heavy cream.
• Heavy cream: makes for an ultra-rich, creamy Alfredo sauce. If you’d prefer a lighter option, use evaporated milk mixed with 1 teaspoon cornstarch. 
• Parmesan cheese:  infuses the sauce with its fantastic salty, nuttiness. For best results, use ONLY freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  It is much more flavorful and melts into silky oblivion unlike powdered or pre-shredded cheese.

WHAT PAN SHOULD I USE for this recipe?

Blackened chicken should be cooked in a heavy bottom pan such as a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet to develop the deep crust.  No matter what pan you use, you will want a take care your pan is large enough to accommodate the chicken and the sauce, or combine them in a larger pan.

HOW TO MAKE chicken alredo

This Blackened Chicken Alfredo recipe is easy to make with just a few steps. Here’s how: 

Step 1: make chicken cutlets

• Lay the chicken flat on a cutting board and hold it in place with the palm of your hand.  Carefully slice through the center horizontally (parallel to the cutting board) to create two fillets. Repeat with the second chicken breasts so you have four fillets.
• Place the fillets next to each other on a flat surface and top with plastic wrap.
• Gently pound the chicken to an even thickness using the smooth side of a mallet, rolling pin, or side of a can. We are looking for about ½-inch thick.

Step 2: season chicken

• Mix all of the Blackening seasonings together in a small bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon for the Alfredo sauce.
• Season both sides of the chicken with the remaining Blackening seasonings.  Let the chicken rest while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Step 3: cook pasta

• Cook fettuccine or pasta of choice in heavily salted water just until al dente.
• Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.  
• Drain, rinse and toss pasta with a drizzle of olive oil; set aside.

Step 4: cook chicken

• While the pasta is cooking, cook the chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side in a heavy bottom skillet until golden and cooked through.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil; don’t wipe out the skillet.  Wait at least 5 minutes before slicing or chopping the chicken.

Step 5: Make Alfredo Sauce

• To the drippings left in the skillet from the chicken, melt some butter then add fresh garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon Blackening seasoning; cook for 3 minutes to infuse the butter with garlic flavor and bloom the spices.
• Add half of the chicken broth to the pan (eyeball it) and whisk the remaining chicken broth with cornstarch until smooth. Add to the pan along with heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a simmer and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan cheese until melted, about 2 minutes.

Step 6: Combine

• Add fettuccine and toss until well coated in sauce, adding a little reserved pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency (for extra decadence, use heavy cream instead of pasta water).
• Add chicken to the skillet along with any accumulated juices on the cutting board.
• Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or red pepper flakes to taste.
• Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and DIG IN!

TIPS FOR MAKING CHICKEN ALFREDO 

• Remove chicken from the fridge before cooking.  Never cook chicken or any protein cold straight from the refrigerator otherwise it will cook unevenly. Instead, remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 15 to 20 minutes before you’re ready to start cooking. It’s also best to let the chicken rest for 15 minutes or so after you season it, time permitting.
• Do NOT rinse the chicken. You should NOT rinse your chicken before cooking! The USDA cautions: “do not rinse raw fish, seafood, meat, and poultry. Bacteria in these raw juices can splash and spread to other foods and surfaces. Cooking foods thoroughly will kill harmful bacteria.”
• Use chicken cutlets.  Full chicken breasts are two large and the blackening season will burn before the breast is cooked through.  Full chicken breasts also won’t be as tender. Instead, use chicken fillets pounded to an even thickness to create cutlets. Pounding the chicken 1) tenderizes the chicken as it breaks up the tissues and 2) the uniform thickness allows the chicken to cook evenly all over – without the thinner bottom becoming overcooked while we wait for the thicker top to cook through. 
• Dab the chicken of excess moisture. Before adding the seasonings, take a paper towel and pat the chicken dry so the seasonings stick well and so your chicken will sear instead of just steam – this is especially true if you are using frozen, thawed chicken which will release excess moisture.
• Scrape up golden bits.  After you cook the chicken there will be golden bits on the bottom of the pan – these are flavor gold!  Make sure to scrape up the bits while you sauté the garlic.
• Use a hot pan.  Add your chicken only once the pan is hot – you should hear the chicken sizzle the second it touches the pan. If you add chicken to a lukewarm pan, it will not sear, and as we all know from Gordon Ramsey, color = flavor.  Searing the chicken results in the Maillard reaction, also known as the flavor reaction, in which amino acids and reducing sugars produce browning and complex flavor. Note, that hot doesn’t mean high heat, but it means it’s reached full temperature (medium-high in this case). 
• Only flip chicken once. Resist the urge to move the chicken as it cooks or to flip it more than once. The chicken needs to stay in the same place for a continuous amount of time to blacken, only then will it naturally release from the pan.
• Don’t overcook chicken. Chicken, especially chicken breasts, are juiciest when not overcooked. The best and most efficient way to check for doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the chicken; chicken breasts are done when they register 165 degrees F. 
• Don’t burn the garlic.  The fresh garlic should be cooked over medium-low low heat in plenty of butter/drippings so it doesn’t burn.  If your stove runs hot, you may want to turn the heat down, burnt garlic will ruin your entire dish!
• Use freshly grated Parmesan.  Freshly grated Parmesan is a key ingredient to any Alfredo Sauce.   You don’t want to use the powdered or pre-shredded cheese.  Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is much more flavorful and melts more easily.
• Grate Parmesan on the smallest hole. This will create powder-like consistency which melts more easily into the Alfredo.
• Cook the Parmesan until it melts.  Continue to cook the Alfredo for a couple of minutes on LOW heat after you add the Parmesan to ensure it is fully melted.  If you see specks of texture after a couple minutes, it’s likely just the garlic, the Parmesan should all be silky smooth by this point, if not, cook on.   
• Don’t overcook the pasta!  I recommend testing your pasta about 2 or 3 minutes before the box recommends – pasta should be al dente – meaning it should still be a little firm in the center/ have a “bite” to it.  
• Stop pasta from cooking. Strain and rinse your fettuccine with cold water to prevent it from continuing to cook. 
• Prevent pasta from clumping. If you’re not using the cooked fettuccine right away, toss it with a little olive oil. This will prevent it from sticking together.
• Thin sauce if needed. The Alfredo sauce can become too thick if it’s simmered for too long, but don’t worry, it’s SO easy to fix! Simply stir in a little chicken broth until it reaches desired consistency.
• Adjust to taste. Make this recipe your own! Add additional cayenne pepper for spicier and/or season with salt and pepper to taste.

RECIPE VARIATIONS 

This Blackened Chicken Alfredo is an excellent springboard for all sorts of variations. Here are just a few ideas:

• Pasta: swap in medium-short sturdy pastas such as penne, fusilli, rotini etc. You can use classic pasta, whole-wheat pasta, gluten free pasta.
• Spice it up: as written with ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, the Chicken Alfredo is mild-medium spicy but still boasts tons of flavor.  If you’re looking for more of a kick, increase the cayenne pepper to ½ teaspoon cayenne. You can also sprinkle individual servings with cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes so everyone can customize the heat.    
• Use a heavy cream substitute: swap the heavy cream for evaporated milk mixed with 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Just remember that fat equals flavor so the cream sauce won’t taste quite as decadent.
• Add veggies: add any chopped vegetables such as bell peppers, asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, cherry tomatoes, peas etc. and sauté them with the garlic.  If using frozen peas, thaw and stir in with the Parmesan to warm through.  If adding spinach, add to the sauce at the end of cooking; allow to wilt 1-2 minutes.
• Add mushrooms:  pan frying sliced baby bella mushrooms, remove from the skillet then add back to the sauce at the end of cooking. Check out my mushroom chicken recipe to see exactly how I cook perfect mushrooms.
• Add sun-dried tomatoes: purchase the sun-dried tomatoes in a jar packed in oil, not water, located near the olives or pickles at your grocery store. Rinse about ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, pat dry, chop and sauté with the garlic. 
• Add protein: you can add andouille sausage or bacon in addition to the blackened chicken.
• Add cheese: mix up the flavor profile by adding mozzarella, Gouda, etc. in addition to the Parmesan.
• Add lime: add 1-2 tablespoons lime juice for more of a Cajun flair.
• Alternate protein: the creamy sauce is so scrumptious you’re going to want to use it with everything! You can sub the chicken breasts for chicken thighs, shrimp, salmon fillets, or pork chops (recommend brining first) seasoned with the blackening seasoning.

prep ahead chicken alfredo

You can prep portions of this Chicken Alfredo recipe in advance so the final dish comes together quickly:

• Prep blackening seasoning:  mix the seasonings together and store in an airtight container/plastic bag at room temperature for up to 6 months.  
• Prep chicken: create chicken cutlets by slicing chicken breasts in half and pounding to an even thickness. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Season chicken: go one step further and dredge the chicken in the blackening seasoning. Transfer the chicken to a parchment lined plate in a single layer and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator.
• Mince garlic: prep and store in an airtight container/plastic bag in the refrigerator.
• Grate Parmesan: prep and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.   

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT chicken alfredo pasta

• Storage: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 five days. 
• Microwave: transfer small portions to a microwave-safe dish, microwave for 1 minute, stir, then continue to heat at 30-second intervals. 
• Stove: transfer to a skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring often. You may want to add a splash of milk if the pasta seems dry.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH chicken alfredo PASTA?

• Salad:  this Chicken Alfredo recipe is wonderfully creamy so it pairs nicely with a fresh salad such as Strawberry Spinach Salad, Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Ranch, Cucumber Tomato Salad, Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Apple Salad, Fall Salad or Italian Green Bean Salad.
• Veggies: this pasta pairs well with roasted or sautéed veggies such as Roasted Parmesan Broccoli, Roasted Parmesan Asparagus or Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Garlic, Lemon, Butter
• Fruit:  go simple with grapes or melon or we love Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette in the summer or Winter Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Poppy Seed Vinaigrette in the fall/winter.
• Bread:  this Chicken Alfredo recipe is begging for bread to mop up the delectable sauce!  Try it with Garlic Bread, Garlic Parmesan Butter Breadsticks or Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls.

Chicken alfredo facts:

This Blackened Chicken Alfredo is pretty straightforward, but below you’ll find answers to commonly asked questions to satisfy your curiosity and guarantee success:

• Can I use chicken thighs? Yes!  You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs and treat them just like you would the cutlets.
• Do I have to use chicken cutlets?  Yes, traditional chicken breasts take much longer to cook so the crust will burn before the inside of the chicken is cooked.  Also, full chicken breasts don’t emerge as juicy.
• Do I have to pound my chicken to equal thickness?  Yes, pounding the chicken breaks down the muscle fibers and creates much more tender chicken. Pounding the chicken also ensures the chicken cooks evenly.
• Can I substitute the heavy cream?  If you’re trying to save some calories, you can substitute the heavy cream with 1 cup milk whisked with 2 teaspoons cornstarch, just take care not to let the sauce boil, just gently simmer.  You may also substitute evaporated milk whisked with 1 teaspoon cornstarch.
• Is this recipe gluten free?  Yes! 
• Can I freeze this Chicken Alfredo recipe?  No, this recipe does not freeze well because the creamy sauce can break and become a funny texture.  If you want to try freezing, use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream and omit the Parmesan.