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    Jul 21, 2021 · Modified: Mar 14, 2023 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income via ads.

    Spicy Chicken Alfredo Sauce

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Spicy Chicken Alfredo Sauce is a smooth homemade Alfredo sauce and the perfect base for tangy slices of spicy pepperoncinis, caramelized onions, simmered mushrooms and tender, diced chicken. There's no heavy cream in the sauce and it tastes like something you'd enjoy in a fancy restaurant. This is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a family dinner or a date night at home.

    A serving of spicy chicken Alfredo on a plate with a fork that has a scoop of pasta and sauce.
    The smooth sauce in this recipe blends beautifully with tangy pepperoncinis, caramelized onions, mushrooms and tender chicken.

    Note: Some of the links on this page are paid links, Amazon Associates. This means I make a small commission when you click and shop. Your cost is always the same and I only link to and recommend products or ingredients that I use.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients to Have on Hand
    • You Control the Spiciness
    • Ready in About an Hour
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Use One Skillet
    • Top Tips and FAQ
    • Pasta Options
    • Stir and Thicken the Sauce
    • How to Serve
    • Storage
    • More Pasta Recipes
    • More Recipes and Toppings
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    Ingredients to Have on Hand

    • Chicken breasts
    • Half and half
    • Mushrooms
    • Pepperoncinis
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Butter
    • Cream cheese
    Spicy Chicken Alfredo ingredients on a wooden block, displaying a carton of half and half, mushrooms, uncooked chicken, a sweet onion, grated parmesan cheese and a plate of pepperoncinis.
    Simple ingredients combine in this recipe for a restaurant quality pasta sauce that's ready in about an hour.

    You Control the Spiciness

    This spicy Alfredo sauce can be less, or more spicy depending on how many pepperoncinis pepper slices you add.

    One cup of sliced pepperoncinis gives the sauce a tangy "bite" but the sauce is so creamy, thanks to butter and cream cheese, it's still mild enough even for kids.

    My family loves a spicy Alfredo sauce so sometimes we add extra slices of those juicy pepperoncinis on each serving.

    Not feeling in a spicy mood? Leave the pepperoncinis out or swap them for sliced red or green peppers instead.

    A stick of butter and a package of cream cheese on a wood block.
    Butter and cream cheese are added to the hot skillet as the base for the sauce.

    Who doesn't love a good, creamy pasta dish? A few tablespoons of cream cheese make a big difference in this smooth, spicy Alfredo sauce.

    This is a classic Italian dish, simply spiced up with caramelized onions, mushrooms and pepperoncinis peppers.

    Spicy Chicken Alfredo Sauce will soon become a fast family favorite!

    Diced mushrooms and onions on a cutting mat.
    Chop the onions and mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.

    Ready in About an Hour

    Although the end result is impressive and full of flavor, and may remind you of a tasty Alfredo sauce from a restaurant - this is an easy recipe to make in about an hour.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Dice the onions and mushrooms, then toss them in the pan with the hot olive oil.

    While the diced ingredients are cooking and carmelizing in the oil, dice the uncooked chicken and shred the Parmesan cheese.

    From start to finish, your delicious spicy Alfredo sauce is ready in about an hour.

    Diced onions and mushroom in a large skillet.
    Cook the diced onions and mushrooms until the onions start to caramelize and turn soft, it takes about 10 minutes over medium high heat. Stir often.

    Use One Skillet

    Everything for Spicy Chicken Alfredo Sauce cooks in the same pan. Well, almost everything. The pasta will need to cook in a large stock pot of boiling water of course. But each step of this recipe uses just one large pan, pot or skillet.

    I cook it in the biggest skillet I own because the sauce and ingredients need plenty of room to simmer together. But a Dutch Oven such as Le Creuset will work great too.

    Diced chicken, cooked and in a skillet on the stove.
    Cook the chicken until it's lightly browned.

    Top Tips and FAQ

    Do I need to use a sweet onion?

    I highly recommend it. Sweet onions are milder than other varieties like white or yellow onions and they caramelize beautifully in the hot butter with the sliced mushrooms. Here's a great article in Bon Appetite about the differences between onion varieties.

    Can I use milk instead of half and half?

    You can, and it will taste fine but the Alfredo sauce will not be nearly as creamy. I totally understand the desire to cut down on calories or fat which is why I use half and half instead of heavy cream, which most Alfredo sauces call for.

    Butter melting in a hot skillet on the stove.
    Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat, be careful not to burn it. See the little bits and pieces of the chicken, onions and mushrooms in the pan? That all adds to the flavor.

    Pasta Options

    Any shape pasta will work great with this recipe, but fettuccine is the most common pasta variety to serve with an Alfredo sauce and that's what I like to use.

    The thickness of the fettunccine holds the creamy Alfredo sauce better than a thin spaghetti.

    Alfredo sauce, chicken, mushrooms, onions and pepperoncinis in a skillet.
    Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the cooked chicken, mushrooms and onions back to the pan. The sauce will continue to thicken.

    Stir and Thicken the Sauce

    The spicy Alfredo sauce thickens as it cooks on the stovetop so don't worry if the sauce seems a little thin at first.

    This Alfredo Sauce is proof you don't need heavy cream to make a silky, creamy Alfredo sauce.

    Watch the video below to see how thick my sauce was right after I mixed in the chicken and pepperoncinis.

    After simmering for about 15 minutes the sauce will be creamy and perfect.

    How to Serve

    Cook your pasta according the package directions and drain.

    Place a serving of the cooked pasta in a pasta bowl or on a plate.

    Top with plenty of Spicy Chicken Alfredo Sauce and garnish with additional freshly grated parmesan cheese.

    Storage

    Store the leftover Spicy Alfredo Sauce separate from the pasta.

    Place in a covered bowl or sealed container in the refrigerator, the sauce sometimes thickens a little after being refrigerated so just add a little milk when you warm it to create the consistency of when it's served hot from the stove.

    Leftovers will stay fresh for 4 -5 days in the refrigerator.

    A serving of spicy chicken Alfredo on a plate with a fork and a napkin on the side.
    Tangy pepperoncinis are the perfect complement to this smooth Alfredo sauce. I like to add a few more slices on top of each serving for eye appeal.

    More Pasta Recipes

    Cooking with pasta is a great way to share delicious comfort food with family and friends. Here are a few more pasta-centric recipes I think you'll enjoy.

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      Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
    • Sweet corn salad on a plate with corn on the cob in the background.
      Sweet Corn Pasta Salad

    More Recipes and Toppings

    Wondering what to serve with pasta? Here are a few more ideas:

    • Homemade Meatballs
    • Bread Dipping Oil
    • Fresh Pesto

    Be sure to give a star rating to the recipes you make from the Crinkled Cookbook. I always love hearing from you. Sharing is great too! Use the buttons after the recipe to text it with just one click or send it to family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook. Enjoy.

    Recipe

    A serving of spicy chicken Alfredo on a plate with a fork that has a scoop of pasta and sauce.

    Spicy Chicken Alfredo

    A smooth homemade Alfredo sauce is the perfect base for crisp, tangy slices of spicy pepperoncinis, carmelized onions, mushrooms and tender, diced chicken. Spoon over your favorite pasta and enjoy!
    5 from 117 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 5
    Calories: 594kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ½ pound fresh mushrooms sliced
    • 1 sweet onion, large diced, about 1 cup but if the onion is large it'll be more like 2 cups which will work fine
    • 3-4 chicken breasts, about 2 pounds diced, chicken tenders work great too
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • 3 tablespoons cream cheese
    • 4 cups half and half
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus more for garnish when serving
    • 1 cup sliced pepperoncinis add an additional ¼ cup for more spicy flavor and some for garnish on each serving
    • fettuccine pasta or any pasta of your choice, about 1 pound

    Instructions

    Cook Onions and Mushrooms

    • In a large skillet on the stove add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat on medium high heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Add sliced onion and mushrooms and cook until softened and the onions have started to caramelize, about 10 minutes.

    Cook Chicken

    • Remove onions and mushrooms from the pan, place in a dish and cover to keep warm. In the same large skillet, place diced chicken breast, season lightly with a little salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned. Remove from pan, add to the dish with the onions and mushrooms, keep warm.

    Make Alfredo Sauce

    • In the same skillet melt butter, add cream cheese and stir until melted. Mix in half and half, garlic powder, salt, pepper and add parmesan cheese. Stir until it begins to thicken. This is an Alfredo sauce. Whisk frequently over medium heat. It takes about 10 minutes until it starts to thicken.

    Simmer then Serve

    • Add the chicken, onions and mushrooms back into the skillet with the sauce, stir to combine then add sliced pepperoncinis. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes while your pasta cooks. The sauce will continue to thicken.
      Drain the pasta and serve with large spoonfuls of the sauce on top of each serving.
      Garnish with more freshly grated parmesan cheese.
    Tried this recipe? Or pin for later.Mention @crinkledcookbook or tag #crinkledcookbook

    Notes

    Please note, the calories and nutrition calculated for this recipe do not include your serving of pasta. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 594kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 30gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 162mgSodium: 979mgPotassium: 782mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1344IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 466mgIron: 1mg

    Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database and are offered here only as a guideline for informational purposes.

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    1. Julie says

      January 26, 2023 at 2:02 am

      5 stars
      This spicy chicken Alfredo is perfect for my family weekend lunch. I love the spicy ness of the chicken with the creamy Alfredo sauce. thank you!

      Reply
    2. Keri says

      January 25, 2023 at 10:31 am

      5 stars
      This spicy chicken alfredo is such a great recipe. I have always loved the creaminess of Alfredo sauce, but it's a bit bland for me. I love it now that I can spice it up. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        January 28, 2023 at 9:08 am

        That's what I love about this recipe too Keri, it has just the right amount of "kick."

        Reply
    3. Andréa Janssen says

      January 25, 2023 at 8:36 am

      5 stars
      Yummie, this chicken Alfredo was so delicious. The whole family loved it! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    4. Rob says

      January 25, 2023 at 8:16 am

      5 stars
      This chicken Alfredo is such a delicious dinner. And my guests even said that the sauce was like what they have at great restaurants! Great recipe.

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        January 28, 2023 at 9:10 am

        I love hearing that! Thank you Rob.

        Reply
    5. Gloria says

      January 25, 2023 at 7:50 am

      5 stars
      I love the fact the alfredo has a bit of a kick. The perfect pasta dinner for date night. Great with a glass of white wine.

      Reply
    6. Mama Maggie's Kitchen says

      August 01, 2021 at 3:22 am

      5 stars
      Oh my word! I need this in my life.

      Reply
    7. Erin Gierhart says

      July 30, 2021 at 3:23 pm

      5 stars
      I LOVE the caramelized onions in this pasta! Great flavor!

      Reply

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