Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken Alfredo Shells
Make this rich and comforting pasta dish featuring tender chicken, shell pasta, and a homemade garlic butter Alfredo sauce. This recipe is simple enough for a weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound medium pasta shells
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Pour in the white wine or chicken broth and let it simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the heavy cream and 1 cup of chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low. Gradually whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, if using.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add the drained pasta shells to the sauce. Toss everything gently until the shells and chicken are fully coated in the creamy garlic butter Alfredo sauce.
- Stir in the fresh parsley. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
- For a richer sauce, use only 1/2 cup of chicken broth and increase the heavy cream to 1 3/4 cups.
- Add 1 cup of steamed broccoli florets or sautéed mushrooms when you add the chicken back to the sauce for extra vegetables.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, let the sauce simmer uncovered for an extra 3-5 minutes before adding the pasta.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 45
- Saturated Fat: 25
- Unsaturated Fat: 20
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 150