Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: With a rich Alfredo sauce, this creamy chicken and asparagus pasta is sure to be a hit, and it’s loaded with healthy vegetables. This restaurant-style chicken Alfredo recipe is totally doable and delicious!
How long it takes: just under an hour
Equipment you’ll need: large skillet
Servings: 4

Copycat Chicken Alfredo
If you’re a fan of Olive Garden’s chicken Alfredo, you’re going to love this creamy chicken and asparagus pasta recipe. It’s chicken Alfredo plus!
With tender chicken, salty bits of pancetta, earthy mushrooms, crisp green asparagus, and pasta, all smothered in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce, there’s nothing not to like about this recipe.
Chicken Alfredo With Vegetables
Healthier eating than restaurants. I’m always tempted by pasta dishes topped with creamy sauces when I go to restaurants. The kicker is that they are usually off the charts when it comes to calories and fat. In this recipe, you’ll still enjoy an Alfredo sauce that’s made with cream and Parmesan cheese. This isn’t diet food. But still, one serving of homemade chicken Alfredo has less than half the calories of the restaurant version, not even a third of the fat, and way less sodium.
Packed with veggies. If you know me at all, you’ll know that I’m always squeezing as many vegetables into a recipe as I possibly can. This Alfredo pasta recipe contains lots of chicken and pasta but also healthy portions of mushrooms, asparagus, and shallots.
Worth the prep time. This recipe takes a bit of time and effort but it’s totally worth it. You’ll need about an hour to prepare it. It’s pretty much an all-in-one meal with meat, pasta, and veggies, so you won’t need to add much in the way of side dishes.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: You can use pretty much any type of pasta. The pasta pictured is cavatappi. Penne is another good choice. If you prefer whole wheat or gluten-free pasta, that will work, too.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: You’ll need about a pound of chicken. If you prefer dark meat, choose boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Cornstarch, Dried Oregano, Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper: The chicken is “breaded” with this mixture. It seasons the chicken and the cornstarch also aids in browning the chicken, sealing in the juices and giving it a crisp exterior. It also helps to thicken the sauce later on.
- Pancetta: This cured meat is similar to bacon but isn’t smoked. Buy cubed pancetta which is often sold in vacuum sealed packages. If you prefer, bacon can be substituted for the pancetta.
- Shallots: A member of the allium family, shallots are similar to onions. They are purplish in color and usually are smaller than onions, with a finer texture. The flavor is sweeter and milder. If you prefer, an onion can be subbed in for the shallots.
- Mushrooms: Look for white mushrooms, sometimes called button or common mushrooms. You can substitute baby bella or cremini mushrooms, if you prefer.
- Garlic: Look for firm compact dry heads of garlic, without any green sprouts. Separate four cloves from the head. Peel the cloves before mincing, or press them through a garlic press.
- Asparagus: You’ll need one pound of asparagus, a good-sized bunch.The stalks should be firm, smooth, and crisp and the buds tightly closed. Both thin and thick stalks are fine. Snap off the woody ends, rinse it well, and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- White Wine: Dry wines are best for cooking. Sweet wines add a sweet flavor that often doesn’t go well with a savory dish. Choose chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or a dry pinot grigio. Chicken broth can be substituted if you prefer.
- Heavy Cream: Just a half cup of cream provides a creamy texture to the sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese: This dry salty cheese adds flavor, richness, and creaminess to the sauce.
- Fresh Basil: There’s really nothing quite like fresh basil. Lately I’ve been buying “fresh” basil that is lightly dried and sold in a small plastic container. It smells and tastes like fresh but it keeps for up to 4 weeks once it’s opened. It’s perfect when fresh basil is out of season.
How To Make Chicken and Asparagus Pasta
Prep. You’ll want to have everything prepped before you turn the stove on. Once you start cooking, things move along pretty quickly and you’ll be glad you had everything ready. Have the veggies washed and cut, the chicken breasts cut and seasoned, and the other ingredients measured out and set aside for when you need them.
Cook the pasta. Get the pasta started first. It can take awhile for a big pot of water to come to a boil. Boil the pasta according to the package directions. The cooking time depends on what type of pasta you choose.
Drain the pasta. When you drain the pasta, remember to reserve a half cup of the cooking water first. You’ll be needing that starchy water later to thin the sauce.
Prep the chicken. The chicken should be cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss the chicken pieces with the cornstarch and seasoning mix until they are well-coated; set the chicken aside for now.
Cook the pancetta. In a large skillet (I like the straight-sided skillets for a recipe like this), cook the pancetta. Like bacon, pancetta is not cooked. It needs to brown and crisp up, and it will render fat, just like bacon. It will take about 10 minutes.
Scoop the pancetta out of the grease and spread it on a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Pour the excess grease into a small bowl, keeping about one tablespoon of it in the skillet.
Brown the chicken. Put the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, spreading it in a single layer. Allow the chicken to cook undisturbed for a few minutes so it gets nice and brown on the bottom, and then give it a stir. The less often you stir it, the more brown it will get. It will only take about six or seven minutes to cook through since the pieces are small.
Remove the chicken from the pan and put it on the plate with the cooked pancetta.
Brown mushrooms, shallots, and garlic. If the skillet looks pretty dry, add more of the rendered fat from the pancetta. Heat the skillet over medium heat, and cook the shallots and mushrooms, seasoning them with a bit of salt and pepper, until the mushrooms are browned and the shallots are softened.
Add the minced garlic, and cook it, stirring constantly until it releases a wonderful garlicky fragrance.
Add white wine and asparagus. Stir in the white wine, and then the asparagus. Asparagus cooks pretty quickly, in about three or four minutes. You want it to be crisp tender, not mushy tender. The color should be a vibrant green.
Stir in cream and cheese. Lower the heat, and stir in the cream. Once that starts to simmer, stir in the cheese, basil, chicken and pancetta. Simmer gently until the cheese melts.
Add pasta. Fold in the cooked pasta. Add a little bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce, a teaspoon or so at a time, until it’s the consistency you want.
Serve. Scoop the creamy chicken and asparagus pasta into large shallow bowls with a sprinkle of fresh basil and additional cheese, if you want.
Serving Suggestions
An Olive Garden style salad, with lettuce, croutons, red onions, and tomatoes and creamy Italian dressing goes well with this dish or keep things really simple with marinated tomatoes as a salad.
Serve warm crusty bread and restaurant style bread dipping oil. Make the occasion special with a cocktail, maybe an Aperol spritz or a rosé spritzer. Both cocktails are light and refreshing.
P.S. If you love creamy chicken recipes like this one, be sure to try my chicken stroganoff and creamy chicken Marsala. Chicken spaghetti is another favorite.
Easy Recipe Variations
- Substitute bacon for pancetta. Another alternative is to skip the pancetta and use olive oil to sauté the chicken and vegetables instead.
- Make shrimp Alfredo. Switch out the chicken for shrimp.
- Use a different vegetable. Substitute sugar snap peas, spinach, or broccoli. Cooking times will vary slightly.
- Not a mushroom fan? Simply omit the mushrooms from the recipe. If you like, increase the asparagus instead.
Refrigerate: This creamy pasta is best served immediately. Leftovers should be refrigerated promptly. It will keep for up to three days. It does not freeze well.
Reheat: Single portions can be reheated at medium power in the microwave. For larger amounts, reheat gently in a skillet over medium low heat. Add water, milk, or broth to thin slightly, if necessary.
More Chicken & Pasta
Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz. dry pasta (cavatappi or mini penne)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, divided
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 4 ounces chopped pancetta
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 8 oz. white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine (substitute chicken broth, if desired)
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, more for serving
- ½ cup thinly sliced basil leaves, more for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of salted water over high heat and cook pasta as directed. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.8 oz. dry pasta
- Combine cornstarch, oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle over chicken and toss to combine. Set aside.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch pieces, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided, ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, divided, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until crispy, about 9 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.4 ounces chopped pancetta
- Remove all but 1 tablespoon of grease from the pan, reserving the remaining grease. Increase heat to medium-high and cook chicken, stirring only occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and add to plate with pancetta.
- Reduce heat to medium, add a teaspoon of reserved grease, if necessary, and add shallots and mushrooms. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until mushrooms are browned, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cook and stir for 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant.2 large shallots, thinly sliced, 8 oz. white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced, 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Add wine to pan and bring to a boil. Add asparagus to pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender and wine has reduced.½ cup dry white wine, 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Reduce heat to low, stir in cream until simmering. Stir in cheese, chicken, pancetta, and basil.½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, more for serving, ½ cup thinly sliced basil leaves, more for serving
- When cheese has melted, stir in cooked pasta. Add pasta water as desired to thin sauce.
- Garnish with fresh basil and more cheese if desired.
Notes
- Pancetta alternatives: If you prefer, bacon can be substituted for pancetta. Another alternative is to skip the pancetta and use a couple tablespoons of olive oil to sauté the chicken, mushrooms, and shallots.
- Veggie alternatives: Not a fan of asparagus? Substitute sugar snap peas, frozen peas, spinach, or broccoli.
- Storage and reheating: This pasta recipe is best eaten immediately. If you do have leftovers, refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. It does not freeze well. Reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium low heat. Add water, milk, or broth if necessary to thin the sauce.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.