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Creamy and decadent, Olive Garden’s Chicken Alfredo is one of the most popular dishes on their menu. Today, we are making it even better at home in just under 30 minutes.
I hesitate to call this a copycat recipe because the goal is to be familiar enough to Olive Garden’s Alfredo, but so deliciously upgraded that you’ll only crave this version from now on.
Love Olive Garden Recipes? Pair this with their Zuppa Toscana Soup, Garlic Cheese Dip, or Chicken Alfredo Air Fryer Calzones.
We all know Olive Garden is a restaurant chain, and although they aren’t exactly authentic, I still enjoy the food. In fact, I always LOVED this place and have great childhood memories here (I could eat the garlic-salted breadsticks until I was sick).
However, in recent years, the locations near me have sadly declined. From cold food to small portion sizes for the price, Aaron and I have stopped going to OG altogether. There are still some great locations, and whenever I return home to Oregon, I get to feast like the good old days.
In the meantime, I’m recreating my Olive Garden favorites right here in my own kitchen, starting with their Chicken Alfredo.
Better than Olive Garden’s Chicken Alfredo
Intensely delicious with bold flavors, this version of Olive Garden’s chicken alfredo has some big upgrades, with freshly minced garlic (and lots of it) plus freshly grated quality parmesan. This will certainly be way tastier!
Easy enough for a weeknight meal. Easy recipes are what get us through the week, and I’m happy to share this recipe takes less than 30 minutes!
The ultimate comfort food. Can we all agree that when there is butter, cream, and pasta, it’s a cozy hug in a bowl?
Key Ingredients
With just a handful of ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen, you can whip up this easy and delicious past recipe in no time! Be sure to review the recipe card below for measurements.
Chicken – tender chicken breasts are pounded to an even thickness, simply seasoned, and seared for maximum juiciness.
Fettuccini – these are traditionally used in fettuccini alfredo, but you’re welcome to use spaghetti or linguini if it saves you a trip to the store.
Cream – a combination of half-and-half and heavy cream.
Butter + Garlic – the best way to start any cream sauce is with butter and tons of freshly minced garlic.
Parmesan – grated fresh off the block is optimal. I like to select a good-quality aged Parmesan.
Seasonings – salt and pepper, plus a little Cajun seasoning for the chicken if desired.
How to Make Olive Garden’s Chicken Alfredo
- Use a large pot to boil the fettuccini according to the package instructions while you prepare the alfredo sauce. Be sure to salt your water.
- In a large pan over medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the chicken breasts in the pan and cook about 5 minutes, flip, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking about 5 more minutes or until cooked through. Set aside.
- In the same pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add in the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, scraping up the brown bits in the pan.
- Pour in the half-and-half, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Stir to incorporate, and slowly bring it to a simmer until it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the Parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth, allowing the cheese to melt. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce until it’s well coated. Don’t worry if the sauce seems a little thin; the starch from the pasta will quickly thicken it. Top with the sliced chicken, sprinkle with parsley (optional), and serve immediately.
How to Prevent Separated Alfredo Sauce
The worst thing you can do to an alfredo sauce is split it. In some cases, it can be repaired by adding a few splashes of cold heavy cream. However, if it is too badly separated, it may be irreparable. That means wasted time and money and no dinner!
To prevent a split alfredo sauce, be sure to bring your sauce to a simmering boil very slowly over low heat. Be careful not to heat it too quickly and be sure to use room temp dairy products. The temperature shocks can cause the dairy to separate resulting in a grainy, unappetizing dish.
Pro Tips
Fresh garlic – I’ll say this until the end of time, nothing replaces fresh garlic. No jar and no squeeze tube compares. Taking the extra time to grate your garlic will enhance your meals tremendously.
Quality parmesan – that green bottle of shelf-stable Kraft parmesan cheese has in your kitchen is for pizza (at best). For creamy pasta sauces, freshly grated Parmesan should be used, and the higher the quality, the tastier your pasta will be.
Use good pasta – I like DeCecco, Rummo, or Rao’s for store-bought brands.
Wait to salt the sauce – before adding more salt, wait until your Parmesan cheese has been added, as the cheese contains a high sodium content.
Don’t rinse your pasta – the starch on the pasta will help to thicken the sauce even more so don’t rinse it off.
Eat immediately – alfredo sauce is best served immediately as it thickens up quickly.
Storage and Reheating
Storage: Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Reheat: To reheat, add a splash of broth or milk into your bowl of pasta before microwaving. This rehydrates the pasta that absorbed a lot of the sauce as it cooled.
Looking for More Pasta Recipes?
Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Pumpkin Alfredo with Hot Honey
One-Pan Marry Me Chicken Orzo
Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Parmesan Alfredo
One-Pan Creamy Tuscan Pasta
Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Pasta Bake
Did you love this Better Than Olive Garden’s Chicken Alfredo Recipe? Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback.
Don’t forget to tag me on IG with any photos; @BadBatchBaking and use #BadBatchBaking
Better That Olive Garden’s Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast or cutlets pounded to even thickness
- 1 lb. fettuccini
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1.5 cups half-and-half
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan freshly grated
- salt and pepper
- cajun seasoning optional
- olive oil
Instructions
- Use a large pot to boil the fettuccini according to the package instructions while you prepare the alfredo sauce. Be sure to salt your water.
- Drizzle the chicken with olive oil, rubbing on both sides. Season with salt and pepper, and cajun seasoning if using.
- In a large pan over medium-low heat, add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the chicken breasts in the pan and cook about 5 minutes, flip, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking about 5 more minutes or until cooked through. Set aside.
- In the same pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add in the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, scraping up the brown bits in the pan.
- Pour in the half-and-half, heavy cream, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Stir to incorporate, and slowly bring it to a simmer until it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the Parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth, allowing the cheese to melt. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce until it’s well coated. Don't worry if the sauce seems a little thin; the starch from the pasta will quickly thicken it. Top with the sliced chicken, sprinkle with parsley (optional), and serve immediately.
