Chicken Alfredo Pasta (Printer-friendly)
Tender chicken breast and fettuccine noodles in a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce. A comforting Italian-American classic ready in 40 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz fettuccine
→ Chicken
02 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Alfredo Sauce
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
11 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
12 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken breasts dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add nutmeg if using. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach desired consistency.
07 - Add sliced chicken to the pasta and gently toss. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
- Leftovers actually reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
02 -
- If your sauce breaks or looks curdled, whisking in a teaspoon of cold butter usually brings it back together
- The sauce thickens quickly off the heat, so remove from heat slightly earlier than you think
03 -
- Room temperature cream incorporates much more smoothly than cold from the fridge
- Grate your Parmesan on the finest side of your box grater for the smoothest sauce