Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

5 from 3 votes

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is an easy 30-minute dinner made with seasoned pan-seared chicken, tender fettuccine pasta, and a homemade Alfredo sauce with butter, garlic, heavy cream, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian-American

Keyword: Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, Garlic Parmesan Chicken Alfredo

Servings:

Calories: 962kcal

Author: Ryan Allen

Equipment

My Favorite Skillet

Ingredients

Chicken

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in half lengthwise)
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder

Alfredo Sauce

6 tablespoons butter
2 cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups parmesan cheese (grated)
2 cloves garlic (minced)

Pasta

16 ounces fettuccine pasta

Instructions

Cook the fettuccine in well-salted water until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water to adjust the Alfredo sauce later.
Pat the chicken dry and slice each breast horizontally into thin cutlets. Combine the flour, Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly coat each piece of chicken, shaking off any excess.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until deeply golden and the center reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and melt the remaining butter. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, scraping up the seasoned browned bits left from the chicken.
Slowly pour in the heavy cream and stir until the browned bits are incorporated into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until the cream begins to thicken.
Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the freshly grated Parmesan. Continue stirring until the cheese is completely melted and the Alfredo sauce is smooth. Do not let the sauce boil once the Parmesan is added.
Add the fettuccine and toss until completely coated. Add reserved pasta water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, only if needed to loosen the sauce.
Slice the chicken and place over the fettuccine and sauce. Spoon any remaining Alfredo sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Notes

Cook Chicken First: Season chicken and cook in a skillet before you start the Alfredo sauce. The brown bits left behind from the chicken enrich the butter, garlic, and cream when you make the sauce. Beginning in the same pan creates more flavor than starting with a clean skillet.
Add Parmesan Over Low Heat: Lower the heat to low before adding freshly grated Parmesan cheese. High heat causes the cheese to seize up, clump together, or become grainy. Stir in the cheese a little at a time, fully melting each handful before adding more.
Add Reserved Pasta Water to Thin Alfredo Sauce: Before you drain the pasta, scoop out about 1 cup of pasta water. Add it to your Alfredo sauce 1-2 tablespoons at a time if needed. This starchy water thins the Alfredo sauce without thinning out the flavor. It also helps the sauce adhere to the noodles.

Nutrition