Chicken Alfredo Primavera

From the kitchen of Carly

Italian-American comfort with a vegetable conscience. Pan-seared chicken, cream-and-parmesan sauce, plus broccoli, mushrooms, and squash for the kind of pasta you can serve on a Tuesday and feel virtuous about. Reserve more pasta water than you think you need. Alfredo always wants more loosening at the end.

Chicken Alfredo Primavera
Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
easy

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 2 tbspunsalted butter
  • 3 tbspolive oil
  • 4boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tspkosher salt
  • 1summer squash, cubed
  • 1 small headbroccoli, cut into florets
  • 8 ozcremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 clovesgarlic, minced
  • 0.5 tspred pepper flakes
  • 0.5 cupdry white wine
  • 0.5 cupwhole milk
  • 0.5 cupheavy cream
  • 1 cupparmesan, freshly grated
  • 1 lbbowtie or penne pasta
  • 2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously, like a mild broth.

  2. Heat 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high.

  3. Pat the chicken breasts dry, season both sides with salt and pepper. Sear 5 to 7 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through (165°F internal). Move to a cutting board.

  4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to al dente, per the package time. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.

  5. Turn the skillet down to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp each of butter and olive oil.

  6. Add the squash, broccoli, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and start to brown. Don't salt yet.

  7. Stir in the garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute more.

  8. Pour in the white wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan and let the wine reduce by half, about 3 minutes.

  9. Stir in the milk, heavy cream, and the reserved pasta water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 2 to 3 minutes until lightly thickened.

  10. Pull off the heat. Stir in the parmesan and the drained pasta. Toss until everything is coated.

  11. Slice the chicken on the bias. Plate the pasta, top with chicken slices, scatter parsley if you have it. Extra parmesan at the table.

Substitutions
  • heavy cream to half-and-half or full-fat Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt cuts the richness; off-heat to prevent splitting. Half-and-half works straight in.
  • chicken breasts to shrimp or sliced Italian sausage. Shrimp cooks in 3 minutes total. Sausage browns first, then the veggies go in the same fat.
  • white wine to extra chicken stock + 1 tsp lemon juice. The lemon adds the acid the wine would have. Slightly less complex but works for kid-friendly versions.

Pairs well with: A simple Caesar or arugula salad with lemon, Garlic bread or warm focaccia, A glass of pinot grigio or chardonnay

Adapted from TheMealDB.