• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chisel & Fork logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You Are Here: Home → Chicken

    Blackened Chicken Alfredo

    July 17, 2021 by Ryan 4 Comments

    372 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    overhead shot of blackened chicken served over fettuccine alfredo
    blackened chicken on top of pasta on white dish
    blackened chicken alfredo on white plate

    This blackened chicken alfredo recipe consists of pan-seared spice-rubbed chicken served over a creamy Cajun alfredo sauce with pasta.

    blackened chicken alfredo on white plate

    I'm a huge fan of blackened food, from blackened shrimp to blackened cod.

    It is just so easy. You use a combination of spices you have in your pantry then just quickly cook the protein and you have a dish loaded with flavor.

    Now instead of just chicken, I decided to kick it up a notch by serving it over some pasta tossed in a Cajun alfredo sauce. The end result is one of the most delicious and comforting meals you can eat.

    By blackening and quickly cooking the chicken, you get a juicy and tender chicken full of flavor. Make no mistake, after one bite of this blackened chicken alfredo, you will quickly gobble up the rest!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Ingredient Swaps
    • Step-by-Step Photos
    • FAQs
    • Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
    • Other Pasta Recipes
    • Blackened Chicken Alfredo
    overhead shot of blackened chicken served over fettuccine alfredo

    Ingredient Notes

    • Blackening seasoning - the combination of the spices, sugar and dried herbs creates a blackened coating on the chicken when cooked.
    • Chicken - by pounding the chicken breasts, you help tenderize it and make a juicy meal.
    • Alfredo sauce - it is a traditional alfredo sauce consisting of butter, cream and cheese but you add a little bit of the seasoning for more flavor.
    • Pasta - when I think of alfredo, I think of fettuccine which is what I use.

    Ingredient Swaps

    Like any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients you use. Some variations include:

    • I like making my own blackening seasoning, but you can use store-bought Cajun seasoning. Emeril's Essence is my go-to.
    • I use chicken breasts in this recipe, but chicken thighs work just as well.
    • I mentioned above that fettuccine is what I use, but other pastas like spaghetti, bucatini or angel hair all work.

    Step-by-Step Photos

    process shots of making blackening spice and rubbing it over chicken

    Combine the spices, herbs and sugar in a small bowl and then rub 2 tablespoon of the seasoning into the chicken, making sure it is coated.

    process shots of cooking chicken in skillet and making alfredo sauce

    Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side or until blackened and cooked through. Remove and set aside and then in the same skillet, lower the heat and add the butter and cream. Simmer for 2 minutes before adding the garlic and remaining seasoning.

    process shots of making alfredo sauce and tossing pasta in

    Add 1 cup of the cheese and mix until melted through before adding the cooked pasta and tossing in the remaining cheese. Slice the chicken and serve over top the pasta.

    FAQs

    Do I Have to Make My Own Blackened Seasoning?

    No. Every grocery store sells blackened seasoning, but it really is easy to make on your own.

    What’s the Difference Between Blackened and Grilled?

    Food that is grilled just means it is cooked on a grill, over coals, gas or flame. Food that is blackened is coated with a traditional Cajun seasoning and then on very high heat, usually a cast iron skillet.

    How Do I Know the Chicken is Done?

    You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.

    What Can I Use Instead of Heavy Cream in Alfredo Sauce?

    While heavy cream is best, you can use sour cream, Greek yogurt or cream cheese and mix with some chicken stock or milk to get the right consistency.

    How Do I Keep Alfredo Sauce from Clumping?

    Homemade alfredo sauce will clump up when the sauce is overcooked which leads to curdling or a grainy consistency. You need to remove it from the heat once the cheese has melted and pasta has been tossed in.

    How Do I Keep the Fettuccine Alfredo Creamy?

    This fettuccine alfredo recipe is one of those dishes that should be served immediately. Alfredo sauce dries out as it cools and the pasta will clump together.

    Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

    • Take the time to pound the chicken as it helps tenderize it and makes it fork tender.
    • Salt the water when boiling the fettuccine so it seasons the pasta.
    • Cook the fettuccine until just underdone so you can finish cooking it in the sauce.
    • Save some pasta water if you need to thin out the sauce.
    • Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
    • You can also use store-bought alfredo sauce if you want to skip the homemade version.
    blackened chicken on top of pasta on white dish

    Other Pasta Recipes

    • Easy Fettuccine Alfredo
    • Hummus Pasta
    • Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
    • Corn Pasta

    If you’ve tried this blackened chicken alfredo recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.

    blackened chicken alfredo on white plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Blackened Chicken Alfredo

    This blackened chicken alfredo recipe consists of pan-seared spice-rubbed chicken served over a creamy Cajun alfredo sauce with pasta.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 743kcal
    Author: Ryan Beck

    Ingredients

    Blackening Seasoning

    • 2 teaspoon light brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

    Alfredo

    • 12 oz fettuccine
    • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    • 2 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped

    Instructions

    • Cook the fettuccine according to package directions.
    • In small bowl, combine the light brown sugar, paprika, cumin, salt, garlic powder, thyme, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Rub 2 tablespoon of the seasoning into the chicken, making sure it's entirely coated. Reserve the remaining seasoning for later.
    • Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until blackened and cooked through. Set aside.
    • In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium and add the butter and cream. Simmer for 2 minutes before whisking in garlic and remaining blackening seasoning.
    • Add 1 cup of Parmesan to the sauce and mix until melted through. Add the cooked fettuccine to the sauce. Toss a couple of times and add the remaining cup of Parmesan, tossing to combine.
    • Slice the chicken and add to pasta. Top with some Italian parsley and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Take the time to pound the chicken as it helps tenderize it and makes it fork tender.
    • Salt the water when boiling the fettuccine so it seasons the pasta.
    • Cook the fettuccine until just underdone so you can finish cooking it in the sauce.
    • Save some pasta water if you need to thin out the sauce.
    • Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
    • You can also use store-bought alfredo sauce if you want to skip the homemade version.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 743kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 205mg | Sodium: 1284mg | Potassium: 537mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g
    Did You Try This Recipe?I love seeing what you make so mention @ChiselandFork or tag #chiselandfork on Instagram and please give a star rating below!
    « Mongolian Pork
    Kale Mango Salad »
    372 shares

    Receive Top 25 Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brenda says

      November 26, 2021 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      WOW. Made this spur of the moment for just myself. Can't wait to make again for company. Followed recipe exactly and it was AH MAZING.

      Reply
      • Ryan says

        November 26, 2021 at 3:19 pm

        Awesome to hear!

        Reply
    2. Cindy says

      October 03, 2022 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! This Chicken Alfredo was excellent! Easy to follow, simple ingredients. Everyone loved it, it’s a keeper!

      Reply
      • Ryan says

        October 03, 2022 at 8:03 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Chisel & Fork

    ryan standing in kitchen

    Hey there! Welcome to Chisel & Fork, a blog with tasty recipes and DIY projects. I'm Ryan and here you'll find hundreds of recipes ranging from true comfort food to vegan. Oh and if you like woodworking, you might just find your next inspiration. Read More About Chisel & Fork…

    Get Your Free Copy of My Top 25 Most Popular Recipes

    title page of ecookbook

    Healthy Recipes

    • Cinnamon Overnight Oats
      Cook Time5 Minutes
    • Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
      Cook Time1 Hours 10 Minutes
    • Peanut Butter Energy Balls
      Cook Time25 Minutes
    • Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad
      Cook Time1 Hours

    Popular Recipes

    • Baked Cheddar Mac and Cheese
      Cook Time40 Minutes
    • Cranberry Mimosa
      Cook Time5 Minutes
    • Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
      Cook Time1 Hours 40 Minutes
    • Chocolate Chip Scones
      Cook Time35 Minutes

    Featured In

    logos of places where Chisel & Fork has been featured

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Information

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Recipes
    • DIY

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Work With Us

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Chisel & Fork

    372 shares