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This simple Basil Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Prosciutto is a favorite with everyone. Classic creamy fettuccini Alfredo made with butter, garlic, and plenty of parmesan. Add in crisp Italian-style chicken with basil pesto and bright asparagus and finish this chicken alfredo off with warm, crisp prosciutto. Every twirl of pasta melts in your mouth, it’s so delicious!
Some recipes are just a little more special than others and when it comes to a really creamy, saucy fettuccine alfredo, it steals my heart every single time. I love this style of pasta.
It holds so many wonderful memories for me. My dad would often make fettuccine Alfredo on Saturday nights for my mom and me. It wasn’t every Saturday, probably only once every couple of months, but when he did venture out and make a slightly different dinner, it always felt so special. And really creamy fettuccine Alfredo is a hard dish to beat.
My dad’s fettuccine was simple, but the best. He didn’t do anything fancy, but we sure loved it.
And to this day, I still use his recipe as a base for all of my Alfredo-style dishes. Simplicity is key, and my dad did simple well!
Today, I took his base sauce and added a few things, chicken tossed with spicy Italian seasoning, basil pesto, and fresh spring asparagus.
Then prosciutto, which really seals the deal here.
The details
Before starting the chicken boil off the pasta. I cook the pasta in boiling water, then during the last few minutes of cooking, I like to toss in the asparagus. This cooks the asparagus just enough, but not too much.
Next, toss the chicken in olive oil, homemade Italian seasoning (my recipe is in the notes), and a big pinch of pepper. Cook the chicken until crisp, then mix in a couple of spoonfuls of the basil pesto.
It’s not fancy, but the smells coming from your skillet sure will be delicious. Lots of fresh basil in the air. Just before the chicken has finished cooking, I add prosciutto to the pan to warm it up. Cook the prosciutto to your desired doneness, my family likes it crisp.
Now finish up the sauce. I use the same skillet we cooked the chicken in so you get all that yummy flavor added to the Alfredo sauce. Start with butter and garlic, then mix in the broth and milk. If you want a super creamy Alfredo sauce, you can also use cream. The broth helps balance the richness of this sauce.
Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the remaining basil pesto, the parmesan, the pasta, and the asparagus. You can use linguine, fettuccini, or even a shortcut pasta like penne.
Stir the chicken into the pasta, then serve each bowl with additional parmesan and that warm prosciutto. Very yummy. Yummmm!
This recipe is one the whole family will really enjoy!
Looking for other easy dinner recipes? Here are a few to try:
One Pan Baked Cheesy Basil Pasta
Southern Style Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken with Lemon Olive Dressing
Lastly, if you make this Basil Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Prosciutto, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Basil Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Prosciutto
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 670 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine or fettuccini
- 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound chicken tenders, cubed
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 1 1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- chili flakes
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- fresh basil or micro basil, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking add the asparagus. Drain.2. In a large skillet, toss together the chicken, with the olive oil, Italian seasoning, and a big pinch of pepper. Add 2 tablespoons butter, then set over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until crisp, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of pesto, then cook another 2 minutes. Add the prosciutto to the pan and cook 1 minute to warm through. Turn the heat off and transfer everything to a plate.3. To the same pan, add 2 tablespoons butter, the garlic, and chili flakes. Cook 1 minute, until fragrant, then pour in the broth and milk. Whisk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the remaining pesto and the parmesan, then toss in the pasta and asparagus. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Remove from the heat and top with fresh basil .4. Serve immediately topped with prosciutto and greens.
Notes
Italian Seasoning: Mix 2 tablespoons dried basil, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon dried sage. Store in a sealed container.
This recipe is so good! I lovvve pesto Alfredo but it’s always so hard to find at restaurants! And expensive! Just one question though. How much is a serving size exactly? You said there are 670 calories but what is the measurement of one serving?
Hey Rylee,
Happy Monday!!⛅️ Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you:) I would say about 1 1/2 cups! xx
What are chicken tenders? Do you mean the chicken from the freezer section that are precooked?
Hi Rosie,
Nope, they are raw, already cut chicken into tender strips, so they are smaller than breasts. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Question: I like my prosciutto crisp but it seems like it might get soppy when cooked in the pesto. Would I be best to cook it on the side and just serve it atop the dish?
Hey Patti,
Yes, if you prefer it crispy, I would cook it on the side:) Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Will it make a big difference if I leave the prosciutto out?
Damn kosher meals. 🙂
Hey Judy,
Nope, that will be just fine for you to do! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
So wonderful! The whole family likes it!
Hi Katrin,
Happy Sunday!😃 Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed:) xT
This is very simply and quick to fix; love the alfredo sauce
Thanks so much Linda, love to hear this!! Have a great weekend! xT
This was so delicious! Perfect mix of creamy and saucy. And the perfect meal for the whole family. Another staple hit!
Hi Courtney,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was delish! Have a great weekend! xT
It was so good. Unfortunately I used pre-shredded parm and it caused the sauce to be gritty. User error vs recipe! I blended it and it helped a bit but next time I’ll grate the cheese myself. As usual, so delicious! Thank you for always giving me such great dinner ideas.
Hey Robyn,
Amazing!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xx
I made this tonight. I was afraid it would be too salty, but it was just right. Asparagus is not in season here, so I used spinach. My husband liked it too! Thank you, Tieghan!
Hey Dawn,
Wonderful!🌈 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner!
Made this for dinner! Excellent. Family loved it.
Thanks so much Dee! So glad to hear that your family enjoyed this dish and thanks so much for trying it out! xT
The ingredients are easy to get (even jarred pesto is easy to find) at Sams or Costco (they have all of these ingredients ). One of my favorite recipes, you made it easy to make. Love. It!!
Hey Sandy,
Happy Wednesday! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner!
(Forgot to add a rating)
Thanks again Karli:)
The flavors were good! And it was an easy recipe to make with simple ingredients. Didn’t take too much time. There were a lot more noodles compared to the chicken so next time I’ll either triple the chicken or halve the noodles. 🙂 thank you HBH team!!
Hey Karli,
Wonderful!!🍀 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for trying it out:)
Wondering what vegetable you’d recommend as a substitute for asparagus?? Can this dish be prepared ahead of time, either the previous day or early morning the day of serving??
Hi Sue,
You can really use any veggies that you like, green beans or broccoli would also work well for you! I think Alfredo is best served right after making, so you could have everything prepped the morning of, but I would save the cooking until you are ready to serve! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Can’t wait to try to make this! 2 questions – Is there a way to make this dairy free by using coconut milk? Is there a secret when reheating an alfredo sauce to not having the sauce break? Thanks for sharing!!
Hi Amanda,
Sure, you can use any milk that you like! I would try reheating on low and stir often so you don’t have any issue. Let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it! xx