Lemon Thyme Chicken Alfredo

Oh, how I loved my Nana Lulu’s alfredo sauce. She made it so often for family dinners with her fresh fettuccine and I lived for it. Just like with so many of her recipes though, she never wrote it down. It was all always in her head and done entirely by feel. This week I endeavored to recreate it based solely on my memory and cooking intuition and I think I came really close! I also decided to add in yummy chicken cooked in lemon and thyme for more flavor and substance. Let me tell you, this lemon thyme chicken alfredo was such a simple, amazing dinner that was quick enough for a weeknight!

I cooked my diced up chicken first with olive oil, lots of lemon juice, garlic and fresh thyme. This laid down an incredible flavor base for the alfredo sauce.
I didn’t make my own fettuccine this time like my Nana would, but I still used fresh. It only took about 2 minutes to cook before I drained it. That meant I could eat more quickly! Yay!!
The alfredo sauce only took a few minutes as well. Then I just tossed the chicken and fettuccine in thoroughly with it and dinner was ready! Now, full disclosure that this is not diet food at all. The sauce was made from heavy cream, butter, half and half and lots of parmesan cheese. So this was a weeknight indulgence and not something to eat regularly. I spent some extra time working it off the next day! It’s all about moderation and balance in my book.

I loved how quickly and easily this lemon thyme chicken alfredo came together! It was on the table in 30 minutes. It also took me right back to dinners at my Nana’s house and the nostalgia just washed over me. I hope you all love it too! xoxo

Lemon Thyme Chicken Alfredo
Lemon Thyme Chicken Alfredo
5 from 3 votes
Lemon Thyme Chicken Alfredo
Lemon Thyme Chicken Alfredo
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Lemon thyme chicken alfredo is such a simple, yummy take on the classic tossed over fresh fettuccine. Fast enough for a weeknight too!

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Chicken, Pasta
Servings: 6
Calories: 805 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
  • 1 dash olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts diced small
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme finely chopped
  • 1/2 a lemon juiced
  • 2 pinches salt divided
  • 1 pinch freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1 1/2 sticks butter
  • 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 18 ounces fresh fettuccine
Instructions
  1. First, get a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. While it comes to a boil, get out a big skillet with deep sides and heat the olive oil in it over medium high heat. Add the diced chicken and cook it through completely. While it cooks add the garlic, thyme and lemon juice to make everything fragrant. Season it with a pinch of salt and pepper too. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it to a plate and start on the sauce. Turn the heat to medium low. Add 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream, half and half, butter and another pinch of salt to the pan and let it all meld together while you stir it. 

  2. It should take about 3 minutes for the butter to melt and the sauce base to come together. While it cooks, boil the fresh fettuccine. Salt the pasta water generously and let the fettuccine cook in it for just a minute or two, until tender. Fresh pasta cooks really quickly. Drain it and set it aside for a minute. The sauce should be done by this point. Turn the heat to low and stir in the parmesan and remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream until it all melds together. Add the chicken and cooked fettuccine in next and toss it all together thoroughly for a minute on the low heat. This will let the fettuccine and chicken absorb the sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!! 

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Thyme Chicken Alfredo
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 805 Calories from Fat 458
% Daily Value*
Fat 50.9g78%
Saturated Fat 30.8g193%
Cholesterol 271mg90%
Sodium 766mg33%
Potassium 101mg3%
Carbohydrates 48.8g16%
Fiber 2.7g11%
Sugar 0.8g1%
Protein 39.7g79%
Calcium 320mg32%
Iron 3.8mg21%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Lemon Thyme Chicken Alfredo
Lemon Thyme Chicken Alfredo

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12 thoughts on “Lemon Thyme Chicken Alfredo”

  1. I love chicken alfredo it’s such great comfort food! I’ll have to give your recipe a try next time it looks amazing!

  2. This looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try it this weekend – the ingredients are going on the grocery list!

  3. 5 stars
    I never cooked with thyme much because I wasn’t sure how to use it. This looks like a great recipe and so delish.

  4. These flavors sound wonderful and the finished product looks amazing. Adding this to my dinner plans!

  5. looks yummy! The ingredient list has 2 cups of cream yet I only saw 1 1/2 cups used? did I miss something for the other 1/2 cup? thanks.

    1. Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I missed adding that little sentence near the end. The remaining cream goes in with the parmesan near the end of cooking, I’ve updated the recipe to reflect that. Thank you so much for pointing that out, I hope you enjoy it!!

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