This creamy chicken broccoli fettuccine alfredo pasta dish brings together tender broccoli, crispy chicken, and rich sauce in under 30 minutes. It's perfect for busy weeknights when your whole family is hungry and you don't want to stress or clean up a bunch of dishes. With little prep and big flavor, it's one of those go-to pasta dishes you'll turn to again and again.
Why You'll Love It
This chicken broccoli fettucine alfredo recipe is the ultimate easy recipe for when you want a creamy, cozy comfort food dinner without spending all night in the kitchen. It uses simple ingredients you probably already have. We're talkin' frozen chicken nuggets, Bird's Eye roasted broccoli, and a jar of alfredo sauce or my homemade version.
Wildly enough, the results taste like something you'd get from Olive Garden or Cheesecake Factory, too! The air fryer gives the broccoli those irresistible golden edges while keeping it tender, and the chicken turns crispy and juicy. Toss it all with creamy alfredo sauce, fresh parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of lemon for a restaurant-quality dinner your whole family will love.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This broccoli chicken fettuccine alfredo recipe comes together with minimal prep and simple grocery store staples that make dinnertime a breeze. You can swap in fresh broccoli florets, use rotisserie chicken, or even whip up a batch of my homemade alfredo sauce if you're feeling fancy. it's flexible, fast, and foolproof and you can grab everything you'll need to make this delicious meal at your favorite local grocery stores.
- Broccoli: I'm using 1 bag Bird's Eye ranch roasted broccoli. You can also use fresh broccoli florets tossed in olive oil, salt, and a teaspoon garlic powder, then roast them a few extra minutes until tender.
- Chicken: For convenience (and because I'm a mom and always have some) I"m using 2 cups frozen chicken nuggets: Feel free to swap frozen chicken with fresh cubed chicken made from raw chicken breasts or thighs, seasoned and cooked in a large nonstick skillet with olive oil and seasonings over medium-high heat until golden. If you wanted to make your own chicken, try my oven baked crispy chicken cutlets that use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Pasta: For this chicken broccoli alfredo recipe, I grabbed 1 (9 oz) pack fresh linguine. Any favorite pasta works just fine! Try fettuccine, rotini, or penne - they all hold the creamy sauce beautifully. Cook pasta just until al dente according to package directions.
- Parmesan Alfredo Suace. You can use store-bought fettuccine alfredo sauce (the kind in the refridgerated section or my homemade alfredo cream saucewhich uses heavy cream, parm and garlic and takes only a couple of minutes! You can even add a splash of chicken broth or low-fat milk to thin it out if desired.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds that sharp, nutty richness. You can mix in a tablespoon of cream cheese or heavy whipping cream if you want an extra-creamy texture.
- Lemon Juice: The acidity brightens up the creamy sauce and makes the whole dish pop.
How to Make It
This quick 30-minute dinner recipe keeps things super simple. You'll use your air fryer for the chicken and broccoli while your pasta boils and your sauce warms. No stress, no mess, just pure comfort food bliss.
- BOIL THE WATER: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- AIR FRY THE BROCCOLI: Place the frozen (or not!) broccoli in the air fryer basket and roast at 400°F for 15 minutes, until tender and slightly golden brown.
- AIR FRY THE CHICKEN: In a second basket (or after the broccoli is done), cook chicken nuggets at 400°F for 12 minutes, until crispy and heated through. I like to cube chicken into little bite sized pieces at this point, too.
- HEAT THE SAUCE: Warm the alfredo sauce in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- COOK THE PASTA: Drop the fresh linguine into the boiling salted water and cook for a couple minutes (about 2 minutes) or until al dente. Reserve a little pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. If you're not using fresh pasta, prepare your pasta according to the package instructions.
- COMBINE: Transfer the pasta straight from the water into the sauce and toss until coated in the creamy alfredo sauce.
- SERVE: Divide the pasta between two large bowls (or four small!). Then top with roasted broccoli and crispy chicken. Finish with a sprinkle with parmesan cheese and a drizzle of lemon juice. Add a crack of black pepper or red pepper flakes for heat if you want. Serve immediately for the best texture so the sauce stays silky, the broccoli stays tender, and the chicken keeps its crunch.
- SAVE: You can place any leftovers from this chicken broccoli fettuccine alfredo recipe in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add a splash of milk or half and half to reheat it and keep that creamy consistency.
What to Serve It With
My Old School Garlic bread is a must! It's perfect for soaking up that creamy sauce in this delicious chicken broccoli fettuccine alfredo recipe. A simple side salad with olive oil and lemon juice adds brightness too. This pasta pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables, too! You'll def want a crisp glass of white wine, or even just an ice-cold seltzer.
Here's some more tasty recipes you might like that are similar!
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Alfredo Recipe
- The Easiest Shortcut Butternut Squash Lasagna Recipe(
- Creamy Penne Alfredo Pasta Recipe (with cream cheese!)
- Broccoli Pesto Pasta Recipe with Burrata & Goat Cheese
Recipe
Chicken Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo - Easy Air Fryer Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 9.5oz bag Bird's Eye Ranch Roasted Broccoli
- 2 cups Frozen Chicken Nuggets
- 1 9 oz pack Fresh Linguine
- 10 oz Parmesan Cream Sauce (or store bought alfredo)
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- ½ large lemon juiced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Place broccoli in air fryer basket and roast at 400°F for 15 minutes.
- Cook chicken nuggets in air fryer at 400°F for 12 minutes.
- Heat alfredo sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes or until al dente.
- Transfer pasta to sauce and toss to coat.
- Serve topped with broccoli, chicken, parmesan, and lemon juice.
