For A More Robust Alfredo Sauce, You'll Need A Splash Of Chicken Broth

From zesty tomato sauce to meaty ragu or herby garlic and oil, a hearty plate of pasta serves as the perfect canvas for a slew of flavorful toppings. But if you're craving something particularly rich for dinner, you can't go wrong with a classic Alfredo sauce. It's cheesy, creamy, and oh-so-decadent, and it pairs well with just about any type of noodle you've got on hand, including bow-tie farfalle, tubular penne, or its most traditional pairing, long strips of fettuccine.

While it's true that there is little to improve upon when it comes to the creamy creation, which is said to have been invented in Rome in 1914 by Italian chef Alfredo di Lelio, even the most beloved and established recipes have the potential to evolve. If you ask us, the secret to a more flavorful and robust Alfredo sauce comes in the form of chicken broth. Yes, you read that correctly. Although chicken broth may not be the first thing you think to mix with butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese, the three traditional ingredients for Alfredo sauce, the liquid addition certainly pulls its weight. Not only does chicken broth do a great job of bulking up the sauce, it also adds a savory, salty taste that instantly elevates the dish.

Of course, one of the most common ways of enjoying pasta and Alfredo sauce is by pairing it with chicken. Needless to say, any chicken Alfredo dish gets a serious boost from the addition of the broth, as it serves as the perfect complement to the meat and helps to highlight its flavor. Our recipe developer Jessica Morone is a fan of adding the extra ingredient and uses it in her own Crock-Pot chicken Alfredo recipe. In it, Morone suggests blending one cup of chicken broth with two cups of heavy cream, and allowing the chicken breasts to slow-cook in the sauce before adding in the parmesan cheese and pasta. However, a broth-boosted Alfredo sauce doesn't need to be paired with chicken to make it worthwhile. It'll be just as good served over plain pasta as it is mixed with shrimp, tortellini, or even vegetables.

If you are looking for some other ways to upgrade your Alfredo dish, though, you can also consider Morone's tip of cooking your pasta right in the sauce. It's a time-saving hack that also guarantees your noodles become deeply infused with the Alfredo sauce's rich, savory flavor. The result? A perfectly tender, well-rounded bite bursting with creamy decadence. We're sure chef Alfredo himself would approve of the upgrade.