This rich, indulgent, and creamy Chicken Alfredo brings restaurant-quality food to your table, but couldn't be easier to make! It's robustly flavored with minimal ingredients and can be ready in about 30 minutes or less!
PASTA: Heads-up: you'll need to save pasta water before draining! Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add in 1 tablespoon fine sea salt. Add in all the fettuccine pasta and boil, stirring occasionally, until it's "al dente" according to package directions (lowest time indicated on package). Before draining, remove 1 cup of pasta water. Drain; do not rinse in cold water.
SEASON CHICKEN: Cut chicken breasts in half widthwise to make four thinner filets. Use a meat mallet/frying pan/your fist to give each piece a quick pound (Don't flatten chicken; we just want all the pieces fairly even in width). Season both sides. (I add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt & pepper per side and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and Italian seasoning per side.)
COOK CHICKEN: Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large, wide, heavy-bottomed skillet or pot (big enough to hold all the pasta later). As soon as the oil is hot, add the seasoned chicken pieces in one layer. Cook for about 3-4 minutes then flip and add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Cook another 3-4 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (registers 160 degrees/juices run clear); remove to a plate and tent with foil and rest for about 5 minutes before thinly slicing or dicing.
SAUCE: In same pot (don't wipe it out), add 6 tablespoons butter (cut into tablespoon-sized pieces) and melt over medium-high heat. Once melted, add in onion and garlic and stir, scraping up browned bits leftover from the chicken. Sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Pour in the cream plus salt & pepper (I add 1/4 tsp of each). As soon as mixture boils, turn heat down to medium low. Simmer until thickened, about 1-3 minutes. (Note 3)
SAUCE CONT.: Once thickened, remove pan from heat. Stir in the fresh, finely grated cheese until melted and sauce is mostly smooth. Dump the drained pasta right on top of the sauce, along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Turn to medium heat and toss gently with tongs until the pasta and sauce emulsify (cling together) nicely. This takes about 1 minute. Add more pasta water if needed (if it's looking dry/stodgy--Note 4) Add diced chicken to the pan and gently stir through. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt/pepper if needed.
ENJOY: Remove from heat and serve right away! Garnish plates with fresh parsley plus a sprinkle more of cheese if desired.
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Notes
Note 1: Onion: If you're looking to cut out some prep time or simply don't like onions, use onion powder instead (or neither!) If you are using a onion, be sure to very finely chop it (smallest possible pieces) so it sautés quickly and integrates into the dish well. If there are big pieces of onion, it will be overpowering (and crunchy) in this recipe.Note 2: Parmesan: This ingredient makes the biggest difference to overall flavor in this recipe. And while this recipe is designed to be quick and easy, don't try to short-cut the cheese. Do not use canned or pre-shredded/grated Parmesan--the sauce won't work (cheese doesn't melt smoothly and you'll be left with a big clump). Instead, use a block of cheese to freshly and finely grate on the small sides of a grater or microplane. If you're looking to really up your Alfredo game, try Parmigiano Reggiano--it's incredible in this dish. Note 3: Thickness check: The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Lift up the spoon and immediately trace a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip. If the line retains a clear track, the sauce is thick enough. If not, the sauce needs to be simmered a bit longer.Note 4: Pasta water: The Alfredo sauce should be silky smooth and cling to the pasta. If at any point it gets stodgy, thick, or grainy, just drizzle in some more pasta water and toss again. This should smooth it out nicely!