This chicken mushroom alfredo is a copycat of Olive Garden’s famous version. It’s super savory, creamy, and packed with tender chicken!

When I’m looking for a meal that everyone in my family will love, this classic chicken mushroom alfredo is always a hit. My husband and sons always fill their plates and enjoy every creamy, luscious bite. If you have a picky eater at your table, know that the mushrooms are completely optional and you can easily leave them out. I think they add a nice earthiness and depth of flavor, so I always at least sauté some on the side so everyone has the option. You’re going to just love this recipe!
Note: This chicken mushroom pasta recipe uses my 5-minute alfredo sauce. It’s such a simple recipe to make, and always turns out cheesy, creamy, and full of flavor.
The Difference Between Fettuccine and Spaghetti
For this recipe, you’ll want to use fettuccine noodles over spaghetti noodles. The difference? Fettuccine noodles are flat, long noodles that are made with eggs. On the other hand, spaghetti noodles are long, circular-shaped noodles that are milder in flavor. As a general rule of thumb, fettuccine noodles are best for creamy white sauces, while spaghetti noodles go best with tomato-based sauces.
Assembling Chicken Mushroom Alfredo
Assembling this chicken mushroom alfredo only requires 10 ingredients and a handful of simple steps. Below, find a simplified overview of the recipe before you get to cooking.
- Prepare the Pasta: In a large pot of boiling water, prepare and drain the fettuccine according to the box instructions.
- Sauté the Mushrooms & Chicken: Slice the mushrooms and sauté them in a large skillet until golden brown. Next, slice the chicken and sauté the strips until golden brown. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
- Make the Mushroom Alfredo Sauce: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk the heavy cream, butter, pressed garlic, and grated parmesan together and bring to a simmer.
- Assemble the Pasta: Finally, add in the cooked fettuccine, mushrooms, and chicken. Toss to combine and serve warm with more parmesan cheese on top!
What does it mean to cook pasta until al dente? Cooking pasta to al dente means that you boil it to the point where it still has a bit of a bite (2-3 minutes less than the recommended cooking time). Since it will continue to cook once added to the sauce, this will prevent it from turning mushy.




3 Pro Tips for the Best Chicken Mushroom Alfredo
Here you’ll find a handful of pro tips to help you make the best chicken mushroom alfredo on the planet.
- Toss the pasta with tongs. To ensure that everyone gets well-dressed pasta, toss it with tongs instead of a spoon or spatula.
- Add your favorite vegetables and herbs to the pasta. Fettuccine is really versatile, so feel free to add in your favorite veggies and herbs. Spinach, broccoli, asparagus, fresh parsley or basil, and peas all work great.
- Elevate the dish with homemade pasta. If you’re feeling ambitious, follow our how-to guide for making homemade pasta. Nothing compares to the depth of flavor fresh pasta adds to this dish!
Ways to Serve Chicken Mushroom Alfredo
Serve the chicken mushroom alfredo as-is for a filling meal all on its own. If you can’t live without a couple of good side dishes, serve it alongside fresh focaccia bread and a homemade caesar salad.
Best Practices for Storing Leftovers
Whether you have a couple of servings of pasta to stow away in the fridge for a rainy day, find all of our top storage tips here.
- Refrigerator: To keep your chicken mushroom alfredo fresh for up to a week, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. This will keep it from soaking up any lingering smells in your refrigerator. Just a heads up, as the pasta sits in the fridge the cheese will harden. When you reheat it, the sauce will loosen up again. If it’s still too dry, add a little heavy cream to rehydrate it.
FAQ
Can you use leftover chicken?
Yes, leftover chicken will work great in this recipe. Simply heat it up in a large skillet until warmed through and proceed with the recipe as directed.
Is alfredo sauce healthy?
While alfredo sauce is high in fat, making it homemade nixes any preservatives you’d get in jarred or bottled versions. It’s also a wonderful sauce to use if you’re following a low-carb or keto diet.
How do you add flavor to bland alfredo sauce?
Liven up bland alfredo sauce by adding more pressed garlic or salt and pepper to taste. If you like it spicy, add a couple dashes of red pepper flakes.
How do you thicken alfredo sauce?
To thicken alfredo sauce, add some more parmesan cheese, a bit of cornstarch, or some pasta water. Of note, the sauce will thicken naturally as it simmers and cools down.
What kind of mushrooms should you use?
Feel free to use any mushroom you like best or a blend of a couple of different kinds. Cremini, portobello, and chanterelles all work great.
Other Pasta Recipes to try:
- Creamy Shrimp Scampi – Classic, buttery shrimp scampi and linguine
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo – Juicy chicken and fresh broccoli tossed in homemade alfredo sauce.
- Broccoli Mushroom Alfredo Pasta – Vegetarian alfredo
- Creamy One-Pot Pasta – Creamy red sauce and sausage
- One-Pot Beef Stroganoff Pasta Recipe – Flat noodles, tender beef, and sour cream-infused sauce
Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook fettuccine per the box instructions.
- Slice the mushrooms into thin strips and sauté them over high heat until golden brown. Season them with a little salt. Next, slice the chicken into evenly sized strips. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sauté the chicken until golden brown.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk the heavy whipping cream, butter or margarine, pressed garlic, and grated parmesan cheese together. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat until smooth.
- Add the cooked fettuccine, mushrooms, and chicken into the sauce. Toss everything together until well-combined and remove from heat.
- Serve warm and topped with freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy!
Excellent, but double the Parmesan, season the chicken with some granulated garlic and a light dusting of paprika, and saute the mushrooms in butter. If your alfredo sauce thickens too much, instead of using the starchy pasta water to thin it out, try a splash of 1/2 & 1/2. Also, Italian flat leaf parsley is a must in this dish. Thank you for the inspiration. It was enjoyed and we will make it again in the future. It isn't something to enjoy regularly, but for special occasions or when one wants to eat their feelings, this meal this fits the bill.
Thank you so much for the thoughtful suggestions and feedback! I’m so glad you enjoyed the dish, and I agree – it’s a great special-occasion meal!
how many servings is this?
Hey, There's about 8 light servings. I hope this helps and enjoy!
We all loved it! I added some white wine to the mushrooms & chicken when cooking to soften the crunchy bits stuck to the pan to flavor the sauce. It added an extra depth of flavor.
I’m so thrilled you all enjoyed it! Adding white wine to deglaze the pan is a brilliant touch—it brings out those caramelized bits and adds such a lovely depth to the sauce. Thank you for sharing!
I enjoyed it very much! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks J, so happy you enjoyed the recipe and appreciate you letting us know!
One of the best chicken mushroom alfredos I've had in a long time! And very easy and tasty
That's the best compliment! I'm so happy you enjoyed the flavors and found it easy to make!
Can you use 5 cream instead of heavy cream & would you cut back on it cause it’s not as thick as heavy cream?
Also could you use cheese tortellini instead of fettuccine noodles?
Thanks Rose
Hey Rose, I have not experimented with 5 cream, so honestly not sure how it would work in this recipe. If you try it, for sure cut back but maybe add some regular milk so the sauce is more creamy/liquidy. You for sure can use tortellini instead of noodles though. I hope you enjoy your meal and I hope to hear back from you!
Great recipe!!! Very easy to make and the end result is amazing flavor!!! The sauce is so good for such few ingredients and could be used for any protein or just veggies. A keeper for sure!!
Thank you so much for your kind words Maggie! I'm thrilled to hear that you found the recipe easy to make and enjoyed the amazing flavor. It's always great to have a versatile sauce that can be used in various dishes. I'm glad this one is a keeper for you.
I would make this once a year , not worth the calories or more so the fat content. Sorry
Hey Cindi, Thank you for your honest feedback. I appreciate you giving the Chicken Mushroom Fettuccine recipe a try. I understand that everyone's preferences and dietary needs are different, - cooking is all about making adjustments to fit your lifestyle. Thanks again for your comment!
This dish is so delicious! It's definitely company worthy!
Thanks for sharing.
I agree, it's company worthy but also easy and quick enough for busy weeknights! Thanks for sharing your feedback Barb.
This is my number one go to recipe to make for meal deliveries!! My family also loves it so I always double it. It’s just perfect!
When the family approves, it becomes tradition! So glad you enjoyed it!
the store had an amazing sale on heavy cream, therefore it was sold-out! i ended up getting half and half. any adjustments i need to make to make half and half work in this recipe?
Hi Rich, I have not tried using half an half, not sure how to make it as creamy. If you do figure it out, please report back. I would love to know how it goes.
Wonderful! This dish is absolutely amazing
Fantastic!!!
Thank you Dena! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
From the Uk and Alfredo not overly common/popular here , had it on cruise ship previously and desperate to recreate
My lovely husband made this and it equalled of not bettered that on the Cunard line
Jacqui, I am glad you got to try this recipe. We have so many with Alfredo sauce, its such a hit every time. 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight - sooooo yummy! Thank you!
Hi Justene, I am so glad to hear that this recipe was a success. Thank you for sharing your feedback with me. Enjoy!!
Is the pasta in the photos Pappardelle? Or is that simply a more wide version of homemade fettuccine noodles?
Hey there! Thanks for the great question. It is homemade. I hope you get to try this recipe! It is quite delicious!
Hi what type of parm do you use fresh or already grated
Hi Annette- I prefer freshly grated cheese always, BUT already grated or shredded parmesan will absolutely work as well! Enjoy 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Added some broccoli to get our veggies and no leftovers!
Yum! Glad you love this recipe as much as we do, Carla!
Could I use zoodles in this?
Hey Rose- I don't see why not! Just cook the zoodles separately or add them in towards the very end since they cook so fast. Enjoy!
The mushroom add some heartiness! Love the creaminess & flavor!! Fettuccine alfredo is one of our go-to's!!
Thank you, Kristyn! It's a great go-to meal with how fast it comes together.
Cooking the mushrooms in butter made them extra tasty. An easy and yummy recipe that my family loved!
Thank you, Kara! Glad your family enjoyed.
This dish was so easy and so delicious! The creamy sauce was AMAZING and added the best flavor and texture. My family couldn't get enough!
Hi Taylor- thank you for sharing! Glad your family enjoyed this hearty, yummy dish.
Hello,
I am really looking forward to trying your recipe. I am wondering if it would ruin the recipe by substituting the heavy cream with 18% or 10% cream. Thank you.
Hi Heather, no it wouldn't ruin it. The sauce may be a tad thinner but it'll still taste delicious. Enjoy!
Thank you so much. I am going to make it tonight.
Hi, Heather. You're very welcome, enjoy!
Natalya! Five star review just doesn't do its justice here!!!
Great recipe easy to make and came out bomb!!!! My entire family were raving how good it turned out.
I can always count on your recipes to be a success. Recipe after recipe every single time!!!!
Thank you!!!!
Natalya! Five star review just doesn't do justice here. This recipe is so easy but is so so delicious. I love how simple it is and the whole fam just loved it.
I can always count on getting superior results when I turn to your website.
Awesome work and blessing to your entire family!!!
Hi Lena - That is so awesome to hear! We are huge lovers of white sauce pasta over here, so that means a lot. Wishing the best to you and your family as well!
Hello there, read through comments and it def sounds like a good recipe to use..
My problem is, is I don't have parmesan. Can I use just good old regular Colby?(that's all I have atm)
Thank you
Hi Rosa - Thanks for the note! I'm glad this recipe caught your eye. It's a tasty one for sure! I've never used Colby for this recipe and my gut would say that it won't incorporate into the sauce as well as parmesan does. If you end up trying it, let me know how it turns out! I'm very curious.
I used this recipe for a guide post for 10 years
For the cream butter and cheese ratios it is always great.
I would print my recipe but i at the end of the day
It would feel like im trying to steal your shine
Thanks for sharing this is a good.
What mushrooms do you like best?
Awww, that's so cool to hear Brian! Love that you use it as a guide. Our favorite feedback is hearing from folks who tweak our recipes to make them their very own. Is there anything different you do that you can share? Would love to try it out. In terms of favorite mushrooms, this is a tough one! We LOVE chanterelles, but those are hard to come by. Next up is probably cremini or shiitake. What about you?
Do I Add oil before I put the mushrooms in?
Yes, you would! Enjoy!
I cooked this last night and it was a big hit! The only thing I changed was that I added Italian seasoning on the chicken and instead of 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese I used 1 cup. Thanks for sharing this easy to do recipe. 😊
Annie, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for the feedback!!
I think I've done something wrong. I followed your instructions, but my sauce is very thin and the cheese is a bit clumpy. I've never made this kind of stuff before so I'm not sure if this is normal. Any suggestions? Or have I done it right?
Hey Vikki, it sounds like the cheese didn't fully melt. The sauce does thicken as it simmers a bit longer and cheese is fully melted.