This Easy Chicken Alfredo with jar sauce is the ultimate weeknight dinner! By using a few simple pantry staples and a one-pot method, you can have this creamy Alfredo Chicken Pasta & Broccoli on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes. It’s the perfect way to get a ‘from-scratch’ flavor using a convenient jar of sauce.
Mindy’s Recipe Snapshot
- Cooking Method: This is a true one-pot meal cooked entirely on the stovetop in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Key Ingredients: We use everyday staples like boneless skinless chicken breast, penne pasta, fresh broccoli, and a convenient jar of Alfredo sauce.
- Ease: This recipe is very easy because the jar sauce saves time, and there is only one pot to clean up.
- Top Tip: Make sure to simmer the mixture at an adequate heat. This ensures the liquid is properly absorbed and thickened in the same amount of time it takes for the pasta to reach tender perfection.
Jump to:
- Mindy’s Recipe Snapshot
- Feature Comment
- One-Pot Broccoli Chicken Alfredo: The Ultimate Weeknight Win
- What we Love About This Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Recipe
- Can you make chicken Alfredo with jar sauce in a Dutch oven?
- How to Make Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
- Tips for Perfect One-Pot Pasta
- Substitutions & Additions
- How to Reheat Alfredo Chicken Pasta & Broccoli
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Make These Easy Pasta Dishes Too!
- One-Pot Alfredo Chicken Pasta & Broccoli
Feature Comment
From Kay: “I loved it. I’m not much of a cook always scared to try something new. This was delicious! Thank you for sharing!!”
One-Pot Broccoli Chicken Alfredo: The Ultimate Weeknight Win
This Broccoli Chicken Alfredo recipe has everything we love in a dish. It’s comforting pasta, and even better, it is a one-pot meal. We are huge fans of one-pot recipes—especially Lee, since he usually handles the dishes!
The first thing we do when we get done working for the day is start dinner. I like to get it on the table quickly so I can move on to other things, and because we are usually very hungry. Most nights, we need something that can be ready in a jiffy. It’s not that I don’t enjoy cooking, but we really try to get the most out of our evenings together.
When I was a stay-at-home mom, I didn’t mind spending more time in the kitchen. But now that I am blogging full-time, my schedule is packed. Between managing the site and supporting Lee with his busy career, our time is much more valuable. Efficient recipes like this allow me to stay consistent with my posting schedule while still serving a delicious, home-cooked meal we both love.
What we Love About This Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Recipe
- Easy Peasy Prep: We use our favorite jarred Alfredo sauce to keep things simple and fast. It’s a huge help when you want a home-cooked feel without the extra stovetop stress.
- Lean Protein: We add chicken to give this dish a boost of protein. We eat a lot of chicken because it is low in fat, making it a great staple for a balanced dinner.
- Nutrient-Dense Broccoli: Fresh broccoli is one of our favorite veggies and pairs perfectly with creamy Alfredo sauce. Not only do we love the taste, but it’s a nutritional powerhouse—just one cup provides about 90% of your daily value of vitamin C!
- Completely Customizable: You can easily personalize this dish by using your favorite brand of sauce, different pasta shapes, or swapping in your preferred vegetables.
We hope you like this dish as much as we do!
Can you make chicken Alfredo with jar sauce in a Dutch oven?
Yes, you can easily make chicken Alfredo with jar sauce in a Dutch oven. A Dutch oven works perfectly for this one-pot recipe because it distributes heat evenly and has plenty of room to cook the chicken, pasta, and sauce together.
In fact, this is the exact method I use—browning the chicken first, then adding the pasta and sauce right into the same pot for a simple, no-fuss dinner.
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
- Brown one pound boneless skinless chicken breasts in one teaspoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add one 15 ounce jar of Alfredo sauce. Fill the jar with water and shake to get the leftover sauce from the jar, pour into pot. Stir in one 14.5 ounce can of chicken broth (or homemade chicken stock) and one-half cup milk. Add 1 pound of penne pasta. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in two cups chopped broccoli florets, cover and cook for another seven minutes or until pasta and broccoli are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Sprinkle with one-half cup grated Parmesan cheese and allow to melt.
- Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Tips for Perfect One-Pot Pasta
- The Brown Factor: Browning the chicken in olive oil first for 5 minutes adds a depth of flavor that jarred sauce alone can’t provide.
- The Broccoli Timing: Adding the broccoli florets in the last 8 minutes ensures they stay vibrant and “tender-crisp” rather than mushy.
- The Cheese Seal: Letting the Parmesan melt under the lid at the very end creates a “homemade” texture that mimics a restaurant-style bake without the oven.
Substitutions & Additions
- Protein: We typically use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but boneless skinless chicken thighs are a great alternative. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey. (Note: I have not tested this specific one-pot method with pre-cooked chicken).
- Sauce: Homemade Alfredo sauce is wonderful if you have it on hand, but we often use our favorite jarred brands. This is one of those dishes where a little help from the grocery store goes a long way!
- Milk: I use whole milk, but low-fat or skim milk will also work. Please note that I have only tested this recipe using cow’s milk.
- Pasta: Any short-cut pasta like rotini or shells will work perfectly. Just keep an eye on the clock, as those shapes often have a slightly shorter cook time than penne.
Want to switch up the greens? Here are a few other vegetables that would be fantastic in this dish:
- Spinach or Peas (Great because there is zero prep time!)
- Zucchini or Yellow Squash
- Asparagus
- Mushrooms
- Green beans
- Cauliflower
Keep in mind that different vegetables have different cook times. For instance, if you use spinach, you’ll want to add it during the last 3–4 minutes of the pasta’s cooking time just until it wilts. Since the total cook time for the pasta is about 15 minutes, just time your additions accordingly!
How to Reheat Alfredo Chicken Pasta & Broccoli
Reheat in the microwave in 30-45 second intervals stirring each time until heated through. It can be warmed on the stove top. Additional water, chicken broth or milk may need to be added. Stir often, (this will break up the pasta).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you will need about 15 ounces.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Make These Easy Pasta Dishes Too!
- Homemade Hamburger Helper Chili Mac
- Stovetop Italian Pork Ziti
- Cheesy Beef Taco Noodles
- Marinara Goat Cheese Pasta
- Chicken Spinach Tortellini Alfredo
- Pasta with Peas and Ricotta
- Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheesy Italian Shells
Looking for more quick and easy dinners? Check out my 11 Easy 30-Minute Dinners or browse all 15 One-Pan Dinners for simple weeknight meal ideas.
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One-Pot Alfredo Chicken Pasta & Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 jar Alfredo sauce 15 ounces
- 1 jar water
- 1 can chicken broth 14.5 ounces
- ½ cup milk
- 1 pound penne or other short cut pasta
- 2 cups broccoli crowns
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese + additional, if desired
Instructions
- Cut chicken into large bite-sized chunks and chop broccoli into florets.
- Cook chicken in olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until brown, about 5 minutes.1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Add Alfredo sauce, jar of water, chicken broth, milk and pasta stirring to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in broccoli and cook for another 8 minutes or until pasta and broccoli are tender.1 jar Alfredo sauce, 1 jar water, 1 can chicken broth, ½ cup milk, 1 pound penne, 2 cups broccoli crowns
- Sprinkle with ½ cup Parmesan cheese, cover and let melt. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
I made this recipe! In fact, I double it! Used a bigger pot and it was delish! Will make it again! YUM! Keep cooking, I will! Thank You!
You’re welcome and thank you, I’m so glad you like it!
Made this because I needed to use up my broccoli and wow! It was so good. I hate to be one of those people but I did have to make a few changes as I was only cooking for two. I cut the recipe in half which worked out because I also ended up with a soupy liquid and I don’t blame the recipe. I only had almond milk and substituted that for the cows milk. When my sauce turned out soupy, I just threw in the rest of my alfredo sauce lol. Also I didnt have chicken in the freezer but I did have a bag of breaded chicken bites and heated that up in the oven while the pasta was cooking. When everything was done, I just gave the chicken bites a rough chop and threw it into the pasta.
Next time though, I will follow the recipe and I know it’s going to be so good.
What a great way to pivot and use what you had on hand — that’s exactly how real-life cooking works! I love how you made it work for two and still got a delicious meal on the table. Almond milk can definitely make the sauce a little thinner, but adding the extra alfredo was a smart save I hope you love it just as much when you get a chance to make it as written next time. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, commenting, and rating!
This was an easy and delicious recipe! I l8ved tgat it included adding water to tge empty aldredo har and shaking it up! Only derivation was adding fresh garlic during saute of chicken. Excellent!
I’m glad you like it! Thank you for commenting and rating!
I would think your instructions should include taking the chicken out of the pot after it’s cooked. Doesn’t it interrupt the cooking of the other ingredients if you leave the breasts in the pot while cooking the other stuff?
I’m going to cook the chicken first, set it aside and shred it. Then I’ll add it to the pasta, broccoli and sauce mixture after it’s cooked. That way the chicken is bite size and ready to eat! I’m going to make this tonight and I thank you for the recipe.
Hello! I have edited the recipe to include the step of cutting the chicken into large bite-sized chunks and cutting the broccoli into florets. I apologize for the recipe not being clear. You’d think I would have noticed that one of the many times (and there are many, many times) I’ve made this recipe myself. Thank you for bringing it to my attention and I hope you love this dish as much as we do, it’s a family favorite.
❤️❤️❤️
I just made this for dinner and it turned out so delicious!!! followed the recipe (I added onions) and let it simmer extra long. the chicken was so tender and the flavor??? It’s so good!! Love that i have leftovers for the week. I bet it will taste even better!!
I’m glad you like it, thanks for commenting and reviewing!
I loved it. I’m not much of a cook always scared to try something new. This was delicious! Thank you for sharing!!
That’s awesome, glad you liked it and thanks for commenting!
This was a perfect quick recipe for a weekday. Today I used Asparagus and Peas. I really love this one-dish recipe. Thank you for this process. I have been cooking alternative recipes by cooking the pasta separately, but this is a TOTAL GAME CHANGER!!. So happy to have found your recipe. Thank you Mindy.
Aren’t one pot recipes the best?! Once you get the process down you can just swap for like ingredients to change it up in many different ways.
We love your recipe!!! Thank you so much for this recipe!
You are welcome, I am glad you like it!
Delicious. Turned out perfect. Followed the recipe just as written.
I am glad you liked it, thanks for letting me know!
I marinated the chicken breasts ahead of time with an Italian marinade and then baked it in the oven. I followed the recipe here without the chicken and added the diced chicken at the end. Easy meal. My family loved it! Thanks.
Great idea, it sounds delicious!
Made tonight – worked out great!! I didn’t have chicken broth so I just used bouillon and water and it turned out perfect. For me in the first step, browning the chicken, I doused it with a healthy amount of salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Awesome recipe and I will have leftovers all week!
We are so glad you liked it, thanks for sharing!
Mine did not thicken, so the sauce didn’t stick to the pasta. More like soup than a creamy sauce that I was hoping for. Seemed like a lot of liquids in the ingredients that didn’t keep the thickness of the sauce.
That’s a bummer it didn’t turn out right for you. In order for the pasta to cook there has to be enough liquid. I would say you didn’t cook it on a high enough temperature. If that happens then you need to cook it until the liquid is absorbed. Watch the video to see how it should have turned out.
To fix it, I ended up pouring out half the liquid and cooking it till the rest had burned off, though it made a lot stick to the bottom of the pan. Not as flavorful and creamy by the end but edible at least.
I love a simple pasta alfredo, you’ve made this look delicious too! Thanks for sharing!
We had this for dinner last night, it is one of our go-to’s. Thanks!
Made this last night and it was DELISH! It was slightly altered as I blackened the chicken and topped the pasta with it when it was all done and I also added about 1/4cup half and half since my broth can was only 14oz and we had extra half and half left from another dish. I used fettucine noodles and did frozen peas and a can of mushrooms and it was so creamy and wonderful. Thank you for the dish idea I have never cooked it like this and it really was a hit my whole family loved including two picky boys. LOL
That does sound delish, we love peas and pasta in a creamy sauce, thanks!
Quick and so very delicious too..a perfect weekday meal!
Thanks, Angie!