Weeknights can be chaotic, and whipping up a satisfying meal often feels like a luxury. But this chicken Alfredo pasta recipe is here to change that! You can enjoy this comforting Italian-American meal in just 15 minutes. Seriously, all the ingredients come together in one pot. And to make prep work even easier, we use jarred Alfredo sauce and precooked chicken. Alfredo sauce dates back to Rome around the early 20th century. For your chicken, you can use leftovers in your fridge (learn how to use them in a homemade chicken stock!) or buy it pre-shredded.
Sometimes, jarred pasta sauce can come out a bit clumpy. Thankfully, we have a trick to ensuring your chicken Alfredo pasta recipe comes out smooth and creamy. Simply reserve some of that starchy pasta water before draining. It helps create a silky texture when whisked into the sauce. For more high-protein Alfredo, try our Cottage Cheese Alfredo.
Yields
Total Time
Prep Time
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 8 oz. medium shell pasta
- 1 (15 oz.) jar Alfredo pasta sauce
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 8 oz.
- 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- 4 Tbs. pine nuts, toasted
- 4 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
PrintIn large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain.
In same pot, heat Alfredo sauce over medium heat. Stir in pasta, spinach, chicken, lemon juice and zest; cook until spinach wilts and chicken is heated through, about 2 min.
Divide pasta mixture evenly among 4 bowls; top each with 2 Tbs. basil and 1 Tbs. pine nuts. Sprinkle each with 1 Tbs. Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
- Calories: 612 kcal
- Fat: 30 gram
- Saturated Fat: 11 gram
- Protein: 32 gram
- Carbohydrate: 50 gram
- Fiber: 4 gram
- Cholesterol: 127 mg
- Sugar: 4 gram
- Sodium: 977 mg
