Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo

There’s something magical about sliding your fork through a plate of perfectly cooked fettuccine coated in velvety Alfredo sauce. The first time I recreated Olive Garden’s Grilled Chicken Alfredo at home, my family couldn’t believe we weren’t sitting at one of those familiar restaurant tables! Now, this 30-minute copycat recipe is one of our go-to family-favorite comfort meals on busy weeknights.

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Why This Recipe Works

This Olive Garden copycat Grilled Chicken Alfredo captures everything you love about the restaurant version – a silky, rich sauce that clings beautifully to al dente pasta, topped with perfectly seasoned grilled chicken. What makes it even better? You can make it in just half an hour with simple ingredients you likely already have!

The secret lies in the balance of cream, butter, and Parmesan that creates that signature Olive Garden texture without fancy techniques. It’s restaurant-quality comfort food made simple.

Equipment Needed

• Grill pan or skillet for the chicken
• Large pot for boiling pasta
• Medium skillet for the sauce
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients and Their Purpose

• Chicken Breasts – Provides lean protein and a hearty topping that perfectly complements the rich sauce
• Salt & Pepper – Enhances the chicken’s natural flavor and provides seasoning balance
• Olive Oil – Prevents the chicken from sticking and creates a beautiful sear
• Fettuccine Noodles – The traditional pasta for Alfredo with a flat, wide surface that holds the creamy sauce perfectly
• Heavy Cream – Forms the luxurious base of the sauce and provides richness
• Butter – Adds silky texture and depth of flavor to the sauce
• Parmesan Cheese – Provides saltiness and umami flavor, and helps thicken the sauce
• Garlic Powder – Infuses the sauce with aromatic flavor without overwhelming it

How to Make Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo

Here are the steps to prepare this chicken alfredo recipe:

1. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Grill the chicken on each side until cooked through.
2. In the meantime, prepare the pasta in a large pot according to the directions. Cook it to al dente and then drain off the pasta water, but do not rinse the pasta.
3. Combine the heavy cream and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir and heat until small bubbles form, but do not let it boil.
4. Whisk in the parmesan cheese and the garlic powder. The sauce will begin to thicken up.
5. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the reserved pasta. Serve with the chicken on top.
6. Garnish with parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Recipe Notes

• I use fettuccine, but you can substitute it with linguini or spaghetti. If you enjoy that pasta, this sauce would also be nice with penne.
• When cooking the chicken, I like to saute it on the first side for about 5 to 7 minutes. Then, I flip it for an additional 3-4 minutes. I make sure it’s cooked through before serving.
• If you want to save some of the sauce, remove it from the pan before adding the pasta. Store it in a separate container so you can use it again, and keep it refrigerated.

What can you serve with grilled chicken and alfredo sauce

If you want to do a side dish with the chicken and pasta, I suggest something lighter to pair with this. For example, you may want to start with a fresh, crisp green salad or even some grilled vegetables. My air-fryer asparagus is very easy to prepare.

30-Minute Homemade Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo

This Copycat Olive Garden chicken alfredo features perfectly grilled chicken over fettuccine tossed in a rich, creamy homemade alfredo sauce.

4.93 from 38 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Olive Garden Recipes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 2057kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 12 ounces chicken breast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 ounces butter
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder if desired
• 8 ounces Fettuccine or other pasta prepared according to package directions

Instructions

• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
• Brush the chicken breasts with oil and season them with salt and pepper. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes on the first side. Flip the chicken breasts and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the grill and set aside. Cut the chicken into slices when ready to serve.
• To make the alfredo sauce, warm the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until small bubbles begin to form. Do not let the mixture come to a boil. Add the Parmesan cheese and whisk quickly. Add the garlic powder, if desired, and continue to whisk. The sauce will thicken after a minute or two.
• To serve, place half of the prepared pasta on each plate. Then top the pasta with sauce and sliced chicken breast.

Video

Notes

• I use fettuccine but you can substitute with linguini or even spaghetti. This sauce would also be nice with a penne if you enjoy that pasta.
• When cooking the chicken, I like to saute on the first side for about 5-7 minutes. Then flip it for an additional 3-4 minutes. Make sure it’s cooked through before serving.
• If you want to save some of the sauce, take it out of the pan before adding the pasta. Store it in a separate container so you can use it again. Keep it refrigerated.

Nutrition

Calories: 2057kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 72g | Fat: 158g | Saturated Fat: 93g | Cholesterol: 685mg | Sodium: 1871mg | Potassium: 1131mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5360IU | Vitamin C: 3.5mg | Calcium: 632mg | Iron: 3.1mg

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, store the pasta with the sauce coating it to prevent drying out.

When reheating:

• Stovetop method: Reheat in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of cream or milk to revive the sauce.
• Microwave method: Cover and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until hot.

Get more Olive Garden copycat recipes

• Homemade Chicken Carbonara
• Alfredo with Shrimp
• Gorgonzola Steak Alfredo
• Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo

Favorite Italian recipes

• Cavatini
• Homemade Italian Sausage
• Chicken Scampi Sauce
• Olive Garden Toscana Soup Recipe
• Buca de Peppo Recipe – Lemon Chicken
• Garlic Shrimp Scampi Red Lobster
• Instant Pot Sausage and Pasta
• Mussels Luciano
• California Pizza Salad

Be sure to check out more of the best Italian recipes and easy pasta recipes.

What do you like to serve with Alfredo sauce? Let us know in the comments below. And don’t forget to share your creations by TAGGING ME ON INSTAGRAM.  Sign up for my newsletter so you never miss a copycat recipe!