3 Best Chicken For Alfredo: What Cut Of Chicken Goes Well In A Chicken Alfredo?

chicken for alfredo

Chicken Alfredo is an easy meal without all of the work.

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It is hearty and made from easy-to-find ingredients, including chicken.

So what cut of chicken is perfect for this Italian classic?

Accompany us and figure it out in this article.

In addition, we are going to provide you with some tips to choose the best chicken from Alfredo.

Let’s get started!           

How to choose chicken for Alfredo?

Alfredo can be eaten alone, but this Italian delicacy will be elevated if you toss some chicken into the mixture.

By having chicken in your Alfredo, you will get more protein, texture, and flavor.

So here are our tips to help you choose the best chicken for Alfredo:

1. Try roasting a whole chicken if possible

We all know that Chicken Alfredo only calls for pieces of chicken.

However, if you can buy a whole bird, give it a roast, and then use the meat from the chicken in your Alfredo recipe, it will be much better.

The reason is that when cooking with a whole chicken, the moisture and flavor are kept inside the meat, making it much more flavorful and juicier.

You can even use other parts of the chicken for other dishes as well.

2. Buy fresh or air-chilled chicken instead of frozen chicken

Another tip to having chicken for the best Alfredo is only to buy fresh or air-chilled chicken.

Fresh chicken has just been slaughtered and has never been through any storage process.

Normally, you can find it in Asian markets or a local butcher.

Meanwhile, most chicken in the grocery store or supermarket is air-chilled, water-chilled, or frozen.

The air-chilled chicken will be a better choice in this case.

It doesn’t contain excess water in the chicken, so the texture will be firmer and the taste is sweeter.

Only buy water-chilled chicken or frozen chicken as your last resort.

3. Slice the chicken into small strips before adding it to the Alfredo sauce

When you have a good cut of chicken on hand, don’t forget to slice it into small strips (about 1/4 inch thick).

Don’t toss the whole cut or the whole bird into the Alfredo dish, and don’t add too much chicken either.

This dish only works for a bit of chicken, like ¼ chicken breast per serving.

There are other stars that need to be shined and enjoyed like the Fettuccine pasta and Alfredo sauce.

3 best chicken for Alfredo

So here are some best cuts of chicken that are perfect for the Alfredo recipe that you should try next time:

1. A whole chicken

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As already mentioned, although a whole chicken is too much for an Alfredo, you can use it for other dishes as well.

Cooking the whole chicken will result in a more flavorful and juicier dish.

After roasting the whole bird, you can choose your favorite parts like breast or thighs, slice them into small strips, and toss them into your Alfredo without needing to season or cook with chicken.

2. Boneless, skinless chicken breast

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If you want to go with cut-up chicken, try boneless, skinless chicken breast.

This lean cut is a rich source of protein that is very low in fat.

Therefore, it is a perfect option for those who want to lose some weight and make their diet healthier.

One thing to keep in mind is that do not overcook chicken breast or it will turn chewy and dry.

3. Boneless, skinless chicken legs (or parts of legs like thighs or drumsticks)

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Besides white meat chicken like chicken breast, you can also use dark meat chicken like chicken legs for your Alfredo recipe.

Chicken legs consist of chicken thighs and drumsticks, and either will work.

Dark meat chicken contains more fat, so it is juicier and more flavorful than chicken breast.

Moreover, dark meat chicken is also cheaper than its white meat counterpart.

The bottom line

So it seems that there are not many choices of chicken in this case.

You can either opt for white meat chicken like chicken breast, or dark meat chicken like chicken thighs (or legs) in the Chicken Alfredo.

Each kind of chicken has its own plus points, but they all work great in this Italian recipe.

Don’t forget to slice your chicken cut into small strips and brown them before cooking it with the creamy Alfredo sauce and pasta.

Good luck!