Is chicken alfredo a pasta? This is one question that stirs up a lot of controversy and argument even among Italians. Some believe it is because it is a creamy pasta dish, while others say it cannot be considered as such because of the absence of paste.
So is chicken alfredo a pasta? Chicken alfredo is most certainly a pasta dish, but not all pasta dishes are chicken alfredo. In fact, it is a classic Italian-American dish that was created by an Italian-born chef in the United States of America.
Chicken alfredo is a pasta dish made with fettuccine pasta, olive oil or butter, chicken broth, cream or milk, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. The chicken makes it a protein dish since meat is considered the main protein in Italian dishes.
Although chicken alfredo is usually served with pasta, some have mistakenly identified it as a sauce to be poured
Chicken Alfredo – A Pasta Dish
Chicken alfredo is a pasta dish. What is a pasta dish?
Pasta dishes are composed of pre-prepared pasta that has been sauced. Therefore, when you order pasta in a restaurant, what you are really ordering is the sauce that will be poured over your pre-cooked pasta.
There are many different kinds of pasta dishes, including marinara, alfredo, carbonara, primavera, etc. Each of these recipes is different and has its own ingredients, flavor profiles, and preparation styles.
So what makes chicken alfredo a pasta dish?
It takes fettuccine pasta. Chicken broth, cream, or both are poured over the cooked pasta. Parmesan cheese is sprinkled on top of the dish after it has finished cooking. It is served with garlic bread or some other type of starch like potatoes or rice.
Can You Use Any Pasta For Chicken Alfredo?
No. Fettuccine pasta is the only type of pasta that can be used for chicken alfredo.
Although you can use other types of pasta for this dish, its name would no longer make sense.
For example, you could use angel hair pasta, but it would more closely resemble a garlic and oil dish instead of alfredo sauce.
Also, angel hair pasta is much thinner than fettuccine, which means that the ratio between sauce and pasta would be way off.
What’s The Best Pasta For Chicken Alfredo?
If you are looking for the best pasta for chicken alfredo, your best bet is to use fresh fettuccine.
There are a few reasons why fresh pasta works better than dried pasta in this dish:
- It cooks faster, so you end up with a creamier and more succulent sauce since it has less chance to overcook.
- It tends to be more delicate and allows the fat from the cream to coat it evenly with a smoother texture.
- Although using dried pasta is not a deal-breaker, making chicken alfredo with fresh fettuccine does produce a superior dish with better consistency.
With these options, it’s easy to see that chicken alfredo is a pasta dish.
Some other pasta dishes may be considered as such because they are served with fettuccine pasta or even spaghetti, but those two types of pasta do not make them pasta dishes by themselves.
What Goes Well With Chicken Alfredo?
Chicken alfredo goes well with garlic bread, rice, or potatoes.
It can be served with salad as an appetizer. Some have even suggested that chicken alfredo is best enjoyed when paired with a glass of white wine to cut through the creamy flavor of it.
It can also be served with a side of vegetables or a dessert.
Whatever you decide to serve with it, just remember that in most cases, the secret is not in the pasta itself but in how well you prepare and combine its ingredients.
How To Make Creamy Alfredo Chicken Pasta?
It’s so simple to make creamy alfredo chicken pasta.
Step 1: Peel and chop the garlic cloves.
Step 2: Boil the water in a pot and cook your favorite noodles according to package directions.
Step 3: Pour olive oil over high heat in a frying pan. Add the minced garlic when hot.
Step 4: Heat until the garlic is slightly browned. Turn down the heat, then add butter and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add chicken broth to the pan.
Step 6: Stir in cream cheese with a whisk until it melts into the sauce.
Step 7: Season with salt & pepper to taste, optionally adding parsley or other spices.
Step 8: Drain the noodles and add them to the pan with cooked chicken. Mix well, let simmer for 1 minute to heat up the chicken, and allow the sauce to thicken.
Step 9: Pour alfredo over pasta/chicken mixture in pan, serve while still hot!
Is Chicken Alfredo Pasta Healthy?
It’s a matter of opinion.
The ingredients used in alfredo sauce are not always good for you.
Although chicken breast can be considered lean, it has relatively high levels of sodium and saturated fat.
So too does cream cheese contain high amounts of saturated fat but little nutritional value.
Also, although garlic itself is a very healthy ingredient, a lot of a person’s intake of garlic would depend on the size of the garlic cloves and how much is used.
In other words, whether or not chicken alfredo is healthy will depend on how it is prepared.
You should reduce your intake of cream cheese and butter by using low-fat versions where available and limit the amount of chicken you consume.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Chicken alfredo is a pasta dish.
If you’re looking for healthier options, remember that chicken alfredo can be made to be healthy or unhealthy depending on the kind of ingredients used.
So, try using low-fat cream cheese and chicken breast, or even better yet, prepare it with mushrooms instead of chicken!
