This Chicken Alfredo is a high-protein twist on a classic pasta dish, perfect when you want something creamy and filling without going overboard on calories. With juicy chicken, a smooth and lighter cheese sauce, and hearty tagliatelle, it’s a satisfying, indulgent meal that still supports your goals.
If you enjoy protein-packed dinners, you’ll also love our Spaghetti Bolognese for another hearty, flavourful option!
Chicken Alfredo
If you’re looking for a high-protein dinner that’s creamy, filling, and packed with flavour, this Chicken Alfredo is a winner. It’s rich, savoury, and balanced with a lighter sauce that keeps things indulgent while still supporting your goals.
We season and sear lean chicken breasts until golden, then slice them over a bed of tagliatelle coated in a smooth cheese sauce made from cottage cheese, reduced-fat cream cheese, parmesan, and herbs. The result is a silky, flavourful pasta dish that feels like comfort food done right.
Each serving delivers 68g of protein and just 619 calories, making it ideal for meal prep, post-workout recovery, or a hearty weeknight dinner.
Why We Love this Recipe
- High in Protein: With 68g per serving, it’s ideal for fuelling muscle recovery and keeping you full.
- Family Friendly: A creamy pasta dish everyone enjoys, from kids to adults, without feeling overly heavy.
- Great for Meal Prep: Stores well in the fridge and reheats easily, making it perfect for busy weeks.
What is Chicken Alfredo?
Chicken Alfredo is a pasta dish known for its creamy sauce, tender chicken, and rich parmesan flavour. The traditional version is often made with heavy cream and butter, making it indulgent but also high in calories.
Our high-protein take uses cottage cheese, reduced-fat cream cheese, and a touch of parmesan to keep the sauce smooth and flavourful while cutting back on unnecessary fat. Paired with juicy chicken and tagliatelle, it’s everything you love about the classic, only lighter, leaner, and loaded with protein.
Chicken Alfredo Nutrition
This high-protein Chicken Alfredo delivers all the creamy comfort of the classic pasta dish while keeping your macros in balance. With lean chicken breast, a lighter cheese sauce, and hearty tagliatelle, it’s a satisfying meal that fuels your goals without unnecessary calories. Here’s the nutritional breakdown per serving:
Calories: 619
Protein: 68g
Carbs: 67g
Fat: 9g
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Lean, high-protein base that keeps the meal satisfying.
- Onion & garlic: Build depth and savoury flavour in the sauce.
- Italian seasoning & paprika: Add herbiness and warmth to the chicken.
- Cottage cheese & reduced-fat cream cheese: Lighten the sauce while keeping it creamy.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds that signature Alfredo richness.
- Chicken stock cube: Deepens the flavour of the sauce.
- Tagliatelle: A hearty pasta base that soaks up the sauce beautifully.
- Fresh parsley: A fresh finishing touch for colour and taste.
How to Make Chicken Alfredo
See recipe card for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat a frying pan with a light spray of cooking spray over medium heat, then cook the chicken for 6–8 minutes on each side until golden and fully cooked through. Remove from the pan, allow to rest, then slice.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tagliatelle according to packet instructions. Reserve a little pasta water before draining to help loosen the sauce later if needed.
To make the sauce, blend the cottage cheese, reduced-fat cream cheese, parmesan, milk, chicken stock cube, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning until smooth and creamy.
Return the frying pan to medium heat, add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Pour in the blended sauce and stir until gently warmed through. Add the drained tagliatelle to the pan and toss until fully coated, loosening with the reserved pasta water if required.
Serve with the sliced chicken on top and garnish with fresh parsley for a final touch.
Tips
- Reserve pasta water: It helps create the perfect silky sauce.
- Rest the chicken: Slicing after resting keeps it juicy.
- Blend well: A high-speed blender makes the sauce extra smooth.
- Freshly grate parmigiano: It melts better and adds more flavour.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Pasta swap: Use fettuccine, penne, or wholewheat pasta instead of tagliatelle.
- Add vegetables: Broccoli, spinach, or mushrooms make great additions.
- Cheese options: Use pecorino instead of parmigiano for a sharper flavour, or add a little extra soft cheese for extra creaminess.
- Protein change: Try turkey breast or prawns instead of chicken.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob with a splash of milk or water to loosen the sauce and bring back the creamy texture. This recipe is not ideal for freezing, as the cheese sauce can separate once thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but the sauce won’t be quite as smooth. You can whisk the ingredients together by hand or use a hand mixer, though the texture will be slightly chunkier compared to blending.
Not exactly. Parmigiano-Reggiano is the authentic Italian cheese that’s aged for at least 12 months and has a richer, more complex flavour. Parmesan is the generic name often used outside of Italy for similar cheeses. Both work in this recipe, but parmigiano gives the most authentic taste.
More High Protein Dinner Recipes
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Chicken Alfredo
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot
- 1 Large Frying Pan
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Colander
- 1 Knife
- 1 Chopping Board
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 kg Chicken Breast
- 1 tbsp All Purpose Seasoning
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Italian Herb Seasoning
- Low-calorie Cooking Spray
Cheese Sauce
- 1 medium Onion (chopped)
- 4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 200 g Low Fat Cottage Cheese
- 100 g Light Cream Cheese
- 40 g Parmigiano Cheese (parmesan)
- 150 ml Semi Skimmed Milk (2% milk)
- 1 tbsp Italian Herb Seasoning
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Chicken Stock Cube
Pasta
- 400 g Tagliatelle
To Garnish
- Fresh Parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken:
- Season the chicken breasts with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat with a light spray of low-calorie cooking spray and cook the chicken for 6–8 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked. Remove from the pan, rest, and slice.
- Cook the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tagliatelle according to packet instructions. Before draining, reserve 100 ml of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Make the cheese sauce:
- In a blender, combine cottage cheese, soft cheese, parmigiano, milk, chicken stock cube, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Combine everything:
- Return the frying pan to medium heat, add the chopped onion and garlic, and cook until softened. Stir in the sauce and let it gently warm through. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat, loosening with reserved pasta water if needed.
- Serve & Enjoy!
- Arrange the sliced chicken over the pasta and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency.
- For extra flavour, add a squeeze of lemon before serving.
- This recipe makes 5 servings.
