Chicken Alfredo Pasta

As a kid, my tiny fat self (I looked like a teletubby) was incredibly fussy when it came to food – I would refuse to eat pizza and hamburgers and I always wanted the staple rice and dal or Mangalorean fish curry that would be waiting at home for me. I hated trying new cuisine and dishes and stubborn that I was, I always threw a fit if I was forced to try something that seemed to irk my little brain (and if it did turn out that I found the dish tasty, I dared not admit it.) But since, my palate has evolved and I’ve become more experimental and open to new cuisine.

While I firmly disliked pasta in my younger years, it has now come to be one of my favorite foods. I know that people have tons of excuses as to why they shouldn’t eat pasta, and even though all the articles relating to diet and weight loss say that eating pasta is a no-no, I just cannot and will not keep away from pasta. I like my pasta extra creamy and extra cheesy, oozing with that wholesome Italian goodness.

I’ve been cooking pasta for about a year now and all this while I’ve been unknowingly passing off a pasta in white sauce as Alfredo Pasta (my bad). Only after snooping around a bit and doing my research did I find out that the main ingredient in Alfredo sauce is Parmesan cheese – something I was completely leaving out when making white sauce (a healthier non-fattening sauce). However, now that I found the way to make the perfect Chicken Alfredo Pasta the right way, I am never going back!

Here’s what you’re going to need.

Boneless Chicken Breasts – 4
Salt – to taste
Pepper – 3 tsp
Pasta – 500 g (your favorite kind of pasta will do)
Heavy Cream – 2 cups
Butter – 113 g
Parmesan cheese – 1 cup, grated
Garlic Powder – 1 tsp
Dried Rosemary – 1/2 tsp
Oregano – 1/2 tsp
Chilly Flakes – 1/2 tsp
Broccoli – 300 g, cut into bite sized pieces

This is how you make the yummiest homemade Alfredo Pasta you’ve ever had

In a bowl, marinate the chicken breasts with some salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cook the pasta as per instructed on the box. When the pasta is almost cooked through, just about 4 minutes before turning off the heat, add the broccoli in to cook. Turn off the heat, strain the pasta and broccoli in a colander and leave to cool.
Melt butter on medium heat and mix the heavy cream in. When you see small bubbles appearing on the sides, add in the Parmesan cheese and whisk quickly to melt the cheese.
Add in the garlic powder, rosemary, pepper, oregano, chilly flakes and some salt and let it cook for another minute or two.
When the sauce reaches your desired consistency, take it off the heat.
In a nonstick skillet, heat some oil and pan fry the chicken for almost 6 minutes on each side or until the chicken has a lovely golden colour to it and is cooked to perfection – moist and juicy in the center.
Once all your elements are ready, pour the sauce over the pasta and broccoli and add in the sliced chicken and give it a good toss.

And there you have it – a delicious Chicken Alfredo Pasta. This pasta dish is creamy and cheesy, with all the subtle flavors of the herbs coming together in a perfect amalgamation that is the Alfredo sauce – only to lend its warm, homey and comforting goodness to the dish. The chicken adds that meaty flourish that only brings more happiness to the tummy while the broccoli comes as a whiff of fresh air with it’s crunchy texture and its beautiful colour. All in all it’s the perfect way to bring the aromas of that beautiful Italian sidewalk lined with cafes and bistros into your own home.

Personally I loved this dish, it turned out splendidly. I only wish I had made more sauce ’cause I couldn’t get enough of it; that cheesy sauce is to die for! The boyfriend loved it too – Chicken Alfredo Pasta is something he cannot resist. My parents however did not enjoy it as much – they love Indian food which is overwhelming with spices, this was a bit too bland for their liking. So if you’re someone who loves Italian cuisine and it’s unique subtle flavors, this is a must-try dish for you. But if you’re the kind of person who loves your meals extra spicy, this will be a tad bit too bland for you. You could always mix it up, add a little more spices and herbs to the sauce as per your liking or you could add some spicy Thai chilly sauce to the dish like my parents did – it won’t be an authentic Chicken Alfredo Pasta, but it will be delicious nonetheless.