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What Vegetables Go with Chicken Alfredo? (15 Best Veggies)

Chicken Alfredo is one of those meals that you can’t go wrong with.

You can add different vegetables, spices, and sauces to make it your own.

It’s a filling meal that’ll satisfy your taste buds.

Read Also:

What Vegetables Go with Chicken Alfredo

When it comes to adding vegetables to chicken Alfredo, there are so many options to choose from.

I’ve compiled a list of the top 15 vegetables for you to add to your chicken Alfredo.

Now all you have to do is pick the one that sounds best!

See Also: 14 Seasonings & Spices that Go Great in Chicken Alfredo

What Vegetables Go with Chicken Alfredo? (15 Best Veggies)

Vegetables that pair well with chicken alfredo include zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, and carrots. These veggies are great because they have a mild flavor and will not overpower the sauce.

Chicken Alfredo

Chicken Alfredo is a dish that’s rich, creamy, and meaty, but it’s not quite as satisfying as a meal that includes some veggies.

Luckily, there are plenty of options for what to pair with this classic dish to make it a little lighter and healthier.

Here are the best vegetables for pairing with Chicken Alfredo:

1. Broccoli

Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the best vegetables you can use in this dish because, while it has a strong flavor that stands up well to the cheesy, garlicky sauce, it also has a mildness that won’t overpower the taste of the chicken and pasta.

Here’s how you can implement it:

  • If you’ve already got some broccoli on hand, put it on the stove and get steaming!
  • If you’re starting from scratch and need to pick some up at the grocery store, we recommend looking for broccoli heads that are firm and heavy for their size. The color should be dark green (with no yellowing) to ensure freshness.
  • You can either boil or steam your broccoli—just make sure not to overcook it! Boiling will give you softer broccoli, while steaming will result in something crunchier.

The best way to serve your broccoli is with a little salt and pepper (and maybe a touch of butter if you’re feeling decadent).

Bon appétit!

2. Spinach

Spinach

Spinach also goes great with Chicken Alfredo.

There are a few different ways to prepare the vegetable for this dish.

You can either include it in your Alfredo sauce, or you can eat it as a side dish.

  1. To include the spinach in the sauce, start by boiling water and adding the chicken and spinach to cook at the same time.
  2. When the chicken is cooked through remove from heat and drain out all the water.
  3. Then, add cream cheese and mix until melted over low heat.
  4. Serve over fettuccine noodles

If you don’t want to include it in your sauce, you can also use spinach as a side dish.

  1. Start by heating olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
  2. Add garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  3. Next, add your spinach a little at a time so that each new addition can wilt before adding more.
  4. Add salt, parmesan cheese, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if desired) once all of your spinach is wilted and stir to combine.

3. Artichokes

Artichokes

At first glance, you might think a vegetable like artichokes doesn’t go with chicken alfredo.

But let me tell you, it does!

Artichokes are a delicious, heart-healthy vegetable that have been shown to lower your risk of developing certain cancers and help reduce inflammation in the body.

So when you’re cooking up chicken alfredo for your family and friends, don’t be afraid to add artichokes to the mix!

There are so many ways you can prepare them.

You can steam them until they’re tender, then cut them into bite-sized pieces and stir them into your sauce.

You can also grab some baby artichokes and roast them on their own until they’re crispy golden brown and serve them up on the side of the dish.

Whatever method you choose, you’ll be adding tons of flavor and health benefits to a meal that didn’t already have much either!

One final tip: be sure not to overcook your artichokes or they won’t taste as good!

4. Green Beans

green beans

Green beans are a great side for chicken alfredo, and their flavor profile works especially well because of the creaminess of the alfredo sauce.

Green beans also add a pop of color to the plate, which can make eating at home feel like an experience that’s closer to dining out.

  1. To use green beans as a side to chicken alfredo, first trim off the ends of your green beans.
  2. Next, boil them in lightly salted water until they’re tender, about six minutes.
  3. Drain your green beans and then mix them into your chicken alfredo before serving.

If you want to punch up the flavor, you can substitute half and half for the milk you usually use when preparing your alfredo sauce or add a little extra garlic powder or black pepper while cooking.

5. Asparagus

Asparagus

A classic main dish like chicken alfredo is always made better with a side of vegetables. Asparagus is an especially good choice.

It’s a bit of an acquired taste, but once you acquire it, you’ll find yourself craving these crispy, slightly bitter green stalks.

We think your recipe would be even better with some asparagus thrown in.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Cut the asparagus into 1-2 inch pieces.
  2. Boil the pieces for 3 minutes, until they’re tender but still a little crunchy.
  3. Take the asparagus out of the pot and let cool.
  4. Add the asparagus to your main dish just before serving, so it stays fresh and crunchy!

Tip: Try adding some Parmesan cheese and black pepper to the asparagus for an extra kick!

6. Zucchini

Grilled zucchini

Zucchini is a great vegetable to add to your Chicken Alfredo because it’s super versatile and easy to prepare.

You can get zucchini in a lot of different sizes and shapes—it’s often found in small, cylindrical pieces.

It has a mild taste with a bit of crunch. You can eat zucchini raw as an appetizer or snack, or add it to your dish as an ingredient.

It’s also really easy to prepare zucchini for your meal:

  1. All you need to do is cut up the zucchini into thin slices, put it on a pan, drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper on top, and cook it in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 375°F.
  2. Serve it up next to your chicken alfredo!

7. Squash

Squash

Squash is an excellent addition to this creamy pasta dish because it packs a lot of nutrients into its bright orange flesh.

Squash are available year-round, and have a delightfully nutty flavor that pairs well with rich pasta dishes like chicken alfredo.

For the best flavor when pairing squash with chicken alfredo, try roasting the squash first. It’s good for you and tastes great!

Squash are rich in fiber, which is good for your digestion, and contain beta carotene, which supports eye health.

They also contain manganese, which helps support bone health.

All this nutrition-power packed into one vegetable will help you feel energized as you tackle your day.

8. Bell Peppers

Bell Peppers

A lot of people think that bell peppers have a bland taste, but that’s because they’ve never tried them roasted.

Roasting a bell pepper brings out its natural juice and sweetness, and makes it soft and tender without losing any nutrition.

And when you combine it with creamy chicken alfredo?

It’s absolute heaven.

  1. To give your bell pepper the perfect roast, preheat your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Cut the top off a red, yellow, or orange bell pepper—or use all three!—and remove any seeds.
  3. Next, place the peppers on a baking sheet lined with foil, and sprinkle olive oil over each pepper.
  4. Bake for about 20 minutes; then let them cool for about 5 minutes before slicing into strips and placing on top of your chicken alfredo dish.

Bell peppers are full of vitamins and antioxidants, so not only will this make your dinner delicious, but it’ll also keep you healthy!

9. Tomatoes

Tomatoes

If you love chicken alfredo, consider adding tomatoes to it.

Tomatoes are a great addition to this dish because they pack in an extra serving of vegetables and add a hint of color and sweetness to the creamy alfredo sauce.

Try this out: Instead of adding the tomatoes raw or undercooked, sauté them with garlic and onion before adding them to the sauce.

Not only will this give the tomatoes a better texture—and make them easier to digest—but it will also help bring out their natural sweetness.

And since they’re packed full of vitamins C and A, you’ll be giving your immune system a boost, too!

10. Mushrooms

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are full of nutrients and can be served several different ways.

For a simple side dish, try sautéing mushrooms in butter or olive oil until they’re browned.

Or if you want something more decadent, cook them with cream, garlic, and parsley for an Alfredo-style pasta topping.

And guess what?

Mushrooms are high in fiber and vitamins, so not only will this dish taste great, it’ll help keep you healthy too!

11. Onions

Onions

This main dish can get a little boring sometimes.

To spice things up, we’ll walk you through the steps of how to add onions to this dish:

  1. Add some chopped onions to the sauce. They will soften and sweeten as you cook them, and they’ll add some nice bulk and texture to your sauce.
  2. If you’re cooking your sauce from scratch, start with the onions first so that they have time to soften before adding in other ingredients.
  3. Add some caramelized onions for an even sweeter flavor.

Onions are a great source of Vitamin C, an antioxidant that strengthens your bones and boosts your immune system.

They also contain fiber, so they’re good for your gut health!

12. Carrots

Carrots

Carrots are another great option.

Not only are they going to add some color and texture to your plate, but also a little bit of sweetness and crunch. Carrots are also an excellent source of Vitamin A!

13. Celery

Celery

Celery is an excellent vegetable to pair with chicken alfredo because its mild flavor allows it to work well with the creamy sauce in this dish, and it adds a nice crunch.

You can chop up a bunch of celery and add it directly into your sauce before you pour it over your chicken, or you can make some steamed celery on the side.

Either way, make sure you’re getting at least one serving of vegetables when you make this dish!

Not only will this help you feel full faster, it’ll give your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

14. Peas

Peas

To make the most of this vegetable with that main dish, you’ll want to take a few steps.

The first is to cook your peas until they’re al dente.

This means that when you bite into them, they should have a firm, but not crunchy texture.

An easy way to do this is to boil your peas for about four minutes in salted water (we recommend adding about a teaspoon), then drain them and run cold water over them so they stop cooking.

Next, toss your cooked peas in olive oil and add some salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Finally, serve your chicken alfredo over pasta (or noodles of your choice) with peas sprinkled on top.

What Vegetable Sides Go with Chicken Alfredo?

When you’re at dinner, do you sometimes find yourself stuck with a side that’s the same old boring salad or steamed vegetables?

We sure do. And we’re over it.

That’s why we compiled this list of delicious and creative veggie-based sides for any dish that calls for something green.

But sometimes you just know you’re going to be eating chicken Alfredo, and you want to have a great side that pairs well.

So here are 5 of our favorite vegetable-based side dishes for chicken Alfredo:

1. Brussel sprouts with bacon

Brussel sprouts with bacon are a classic for good reason—they are the perfect accompaniment to almost any main course, but particularly rich ones like chicken alfredo.

Here’s how to make brussel sprouts with bacon:

  1. Wash your brussel sprouts and cut them in half if they are more than 2″ in diameter.
  2. Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle some salt on top, too.
  3. Put the brussel sprouts in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until they start to brown (about 25 minutes).
  4. While they’re in the oven, fry up some bacon! After 5-7 minutes (or however long it takes for your particular bacon), drain the grease off of it and chop it into 1/4″ pieces.
  5. Take your brussel sprouts out of the oven. Add your chopped bacon and mix together. Serve immediately with your chicken alfredo as a side dish!

2. Spinach Salad

The most important part of making a spinach salad as a side dish is dressing it well.

Your dressing should be light and tart in order to complement the richness of the Alfredo sauce.

A vinaigrette works beautifully for this, but you can use any dressing you like.

3. Sauteed green beans and mushrooms

This vegetable side dish is the perfect complement to your dinner.

Since both the sauce and the chicken itself are so rich, the beans provide a nice textural contrast—after all, they’re crisp and firm(ish)!

The mushrooms cut through all that richness with their earthiness and umami flavor. It’s also super easy to make!

Here’s how you do it:

  1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until they begin to soften.
  2. Add chopped garlic cloves (we like using four) and stir until fragrant—about 1 minute or so.
  3. Add green beans, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until tender—about five minutes or so.

4. Caprese salad

Caprese salad is simple to make, delicious, and perfect for an Italian-inspired meal like chicken alfredo.

The salad is made up of fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and basil leaves. It’s important to use high-quality ingredients here.

You can buy fresh mozzarella from a specialty deli or grocery store (or even make it yourself!), and you want to use vine-ripened tomatoes that have been allowed to ripen naturally on the vine.

If possible, grow your own basil—freshly picked basil will add a bright finish to any caprese salad.

The key is only using ingredients that are in season during the summer months; this will ensure the salad has the freshest flavor profile possible.

5. Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole with crunchy onions on top is the perfect complement to the creamy, rich taste of Chicken Alfedo.

Green beans are packed with fiber, and the creamy sauce in this side dish perfectly complements the creamy pasta sauce of Chicken Alfredo.

And if you’re worried that this side dish is too healthy to pair with a decadent main course, don’t be!

The creaminess of this green bean casserole will trick your brain into thinking that it’s just as rich as its mealtime companion.

what veg goes with chicken alfredo

What Vegetables Go with Chicken Alfredo? (15 Best Veggies)

Why not bulk up your chicken Alfredo with some veggies?
Here are 15 of the best veggies to add to this classic dish.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 4 minutes
Course Main Course, Vegetables
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4 people
Calories 35 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • Broccoli
  • Spinach
  • Artichokes
  • Green Beans
  • Asparagus
  • Zucchini
  • Squash
  • Bell Peppers
  • Tomatoes
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Peas

Instructions
 

  • Choose your favorite veggies from this list to add to your chicken alfredo recipe.
  • Prepare the rest of your meal.
  • Enjoy in no time!
Keyword What Vegetables Go with Chicken Alfredo
Benjamin Happy Muncher

Hi, I'm Benjamin. I love cooking, long walks, and my girlfriend! Here you’ll find simple and delicious recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less.

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