Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 4 quarts water – for boiling pasta
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt – for pasta water
- 12 ounces fettuccine
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts – patted dry (~2.5 n/a chicken breasts)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper – freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups Parmigiano Reggiano – finely grated
- flat-leaf parsley – chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the kosher salt, then add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, 9–11 minutes; reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking liquid and drain the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, pat the boneless skinless chicken breasts dry and season all over with the black pepper. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering, 1–2 minutes, then sear the chicken until well browned and cooked through, 5–7 minutes per side (165°F internal). Transfer to a plate, tent loosely, and rest 5 minutes; slice across the grain.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the unsalted butter to the same skillet. When melted and foaming, stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, 30–60 seconds; pour in the heavy cream and simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly thickened and able to coat a spoon, 3–5 minutes.
4. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Off the heat, gradually sprinkle in the Parmigiano Reggiano while tossing vigorously until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles; adjust with 0.25–0.5 cup of the reserved cooking liquid as needed.
5. Fold in the sliced chicken and any accumulated juices, then toss over low heat just to warm through, 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
6. Divide among warm bowls and finish with the flat-leaf parsley. Serve immediately.
Chicken alfredo is a creamy pasta favorite built around tender slices of seared chicken, a rich butter-and-cream sauce, and plenty of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano. The texture is silky and glossy, clinging to long strands of fettuccine without feeling heavy when balanced properly. Its appeal lies in the contrast of savory chicken and a luxurious, peppery-cheesy sauce that coats every bite.
While fettuccine Alfredo in Rome began as a simple emulsion of butter and Parmigiano with pasta water, American cooks popularized a cream-enriched version and added chicken to make it a heartier main course. This Italian-American evolution took root in mid-20th-century restaurants, where cream stabilized the sauce for consistent results. Today, Chicken Alfredo stands as a classic of Italian-American cooking, distinct from its Roman ancestor but clearly inspired by it.