Blackened Chicken Alfredo
This recipe for blackened chicken alfredo combines the classic comfort of a creamy alfredo pasta with bold and tender blackened chicken for an unforgettable and indulgent pasta dish everyone will love.
What we love about this blackened chicken alfredo
- We’ve blackened chicken using a simple seasoning mix and tossed it with our popular alfredo sauce with half and half. This recipe incorporates a luscious combination of butter, cream, and garlic with the sharp bite of pecorino romano cheese to create a luxurious and velvety sauce.
- It’s a satisfying meal that provides a sense of warmth and comfort, making it perfect for a cozy night in or a large family gathering. Plus, you can adjust the level of spiciness in the blackening seasoning to suit your taste preferences (add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the blackening seasoning if you like a little more kick).
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
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- Half & half – We used our alfredo sauce with half and half recipe, but you can substitute heavy cream if you prefer.
- Chicken breast – We used 2 medium size chicken breast or you can use a single large chicken breast.
- Blackening seasoning – We used our own combination of spices to make the blackening seasoning, but feel free to use your favorite store bought (you will need about 2 tablespoons)
- Pecorino romano cheese – Using this creates a nice sharp tangy alfredo sauce, but you can substitute grated parmesan or parmigiano reggiano.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make this blackened chicken alfredo
Mix up the seasoning. In a small bowl, whisk until well combined. Pat chicken breast dry and liberally coat with blackening seasoning on both sides. Set aside while skillet heats.
Cook the pasta. In a large pot of salted water, cook fettuccine to al dente following package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, drain and set aside.
Sear the chicken Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the chicken breast until dark brown crust has formed. Remove from heat and allow to rest while you make the sauce.
Make the sauce. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium high. Melt butter and whisk in flour to make a roux. Slowly whisk in half and half, allowing to sauce heat through and thicken. When sauce has thickened, remove from heat and stir in salt and pecorino romano cheese. Stir in fettuccine, until well coated in sauce, adding pasta water if needed.
Slice chicken and serve. Slice chicken into ½ inch thick slices, or bite sized pieces if you prefer. Serve over alfredo.
Everything you need to know about blackened chicken alfredo
Blackening refers to a specific method of cooking over high heat with a blackening seasoning (a blend of spices) to create a dark flavorful crust. This method of cooking is popular in the south and know for its bold, slightly spicy taste and is typically used on proteins such as fish, poultry or steak.
Blackening seasoning is a bold spice blend made of paprika, cayenne and/or black pepper, thyme, oregano, salt, garlic and onion powder. Additional spices and herbs can be used, such as mustard powder or celery seed but this will vary depending on the region or recipe. Many people adjust the heat levels of blackening seasoning to their preference even if they do not change the spices/herbs.
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Blackened Chicken Alfredo
This recipe for blackened chicken alfredo combines the classic comfort of a creamy alfredo pasta with bold and tender blackened chicken for an unforgettable and indulgent pasta dish everyone will love.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Fettuccine
- Method: Stovetop
Ingredients
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2 teaspoons smoked paprika
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1 teaspoon oregano
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1 teaspoon thyme
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1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
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1/2 teaspoon onion powder
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1 teaspoon coarse salt
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1 large chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness
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1 pound fettuccine
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½ cup unsalted butter
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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1 1/2 cup half-and-half
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese (or parmesan)
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
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Pat the chicken breast dry and season liberally with blackening seasoning.
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Heat a large skillet to medium heat with olive oil. When oil is hot, add the chicken and sear for 6-7 minutes per side. Remove from heat and allow to rest before slicing.
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In a large pot of salted water, cook fettuccine to al denté, according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, drain and set aside.
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In the same melt butter over medium heat.
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Whisk in flour to form a roux.
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Slowly whisk in half and half. Increase heat to medium high and cook until half and half has thickened (about 5-6 minutes).
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Remove from heat.
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Add salt and pecorino romano cheese, whisk until cheese has melted and sauce smooth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 366
- Sugar: 3.8 g
- Sodium: 537.7 mg
- Fat: 14.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.6 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 10.9 g
- Cholesterol: 39 mg
