It was a cheesy night at our house. After all the turkey and dressing, Steve was craving chicken with pasta. I couldn’t agree more. I decided to make a Grilled Blackened Chicken Alfredo. I love how the cheese sauce mellows the spices in the chicken.

Oh, wait! My Semi-Homemade Cheddar-and-Chive Drop Biscuits. We must be crazy! I’ve always said, “everything in moderation.” Honestly, we do watch our portions; it’s just that we both love food, and with me having a food blog, everything must be in moderation. Click on the link at the bottom of this post to get my biscuit recipe.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Equipment: indoor grill pan, 1 (6-quart) saucepot, 1 (10-cup) food processor, 1 deep-sided frying pan (rondeau), Microplane, chef’s knife

Ingredients for the Blackened Seasoning:
3 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions for the Blackened Seasoning:
In a small mixing bowl, add all the spices along with the Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, and stir to combine. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Ingredients for the Blackened Chicken:
8 chicken cutlets, 1/4-inch thick
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
2 tablespoons of blackened seasoning

Ingredients for the Alfredo Sauce:
1 quart of heavy whipping cream
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of butter, unsalted
1 teaspoon of nutmeg, freshly grated
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped plus extra for garnish

Instructions:
Sprinkle the blackened seasoning on both sides of the chicken cutlets.

Preheat an indoor grill pan over medium-high. Arrange six cutlets on the grill. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side. You want to make sure they are cooked all the way through. Some of the cutlets may be slightly thicker, so those may need a little longer on the grill. Move to a meat-safe cutting board, slice the chicken on the bias, and transfer to an oven-safe platter. Repeat the process for the remaining cutlets.

Cover the platter with foil, then transfer the chicken to a 225-degree F. oven to keep warm.

In a large deep-sided pan (rondeau) over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the heavy cream. Add freshly grated nutmeg and garlic powder. Reduce the heat to low, add the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, stirring occasionally, until sauce comes to a simmer and begins to thicken, 3-5 minutes. Turn the heat off before adding the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Stir to combine.

While making the Alfredo sauce, have a large saucepot of boiling salted water ready on the back burner. Now all you need to do is cook the pasta according to package instructions for 8-12 minutes, or until al dente. Do not discard any of the pasta water.

Finish the dish by adding the beautiful blackened chicken and freshly chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley; toss to combine. Top with a sprinkling of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve family-style right out of the pan!

There you have it, my Grilled Blackened Chicken Alfredo.

Notes:
1) If the sauce needs thinning out, ladle small amounts of the starchy pasta cooking water and toss. Add the pasta water only after you’ve combined the pasta and sauce.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/12/04/semi-homemade-cheddar-and-chive-drop-biscuits/