Italian-American · main

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo reads umami 7.2, richness 5.8 and salinity 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 34 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.2 · Richness 5.8 · Salinity 4.8 · Allium 3.6 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Bitterness 2.1 · Nutty 2.1 · Sweetness 2.0 · Earthy 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Sourness 0.9 · Fruity 0.8 · Heat 0.8 · Floral 0.7

What's in it (12)

• salt — 15 g
• fettuccine — 340 g
• broccoli florets — 946 g
• boneless chicken — 567 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• olive oil — 27 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g
• garlic — 12 g
• heavy cream — 473 g
• parmesan cheese — 170 g
• nutmeg — 1 g
• red pasta sauce — 118 g

Time & effort: about 34 min (29 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 175.5 kcal, 11.1 g protein, 10.6 g fat, 13.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (use half the kosher salt, about 1 1/2 tsp). Cook the fettuccine according to package directions until al dente, 10-11 minutes, adding the broccoli florets for the final 2 minutes so they turn bright green and tender-crisp. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and broccoli together; set aside.
2. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the remaining salt and the pepper.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until deeply golden on the first side, 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 F, another 3-4 minutes.
4. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then slice thin against the grain.
5. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium and melt the butter, scraping up the browned bits left from the chicken. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Pour in the heavy cream and nutmeg; bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 4-5 minutes.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the Parmesan a handful at a time until smooth and glossy.
8. Return the skillet to low heat, add the drained pasta and broccoli, and toss to coat, loosening with splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce clings silkily to the noodles, 1-2 minutes.
9. Fold in the sliced chicken, season with more salt to taste, and serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Baked Rigatoni with Mini Meatballs — Italian-American
• Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Skillet — American
• Escarole Soup With Chicken And Rice — Greek
• Meatball Subs with Melted Provolone — Italian-American
• Turkey Meatballs in Marinara over Spaghetti — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.