If you have never had homemade Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, you haven’t lived! Real, creamy, from-scratch Alfredo sauce is truly one of the most delicious things; store bought Alfredo pales in comparison. Pair your delicious creamy sauce with pasta and perfectly seared, juicy chicken for a decadent and easy dinner recipe, done in about 30 minutes!

sliced pieces of cooked chicken in a pan of creamy pasta

Big news you guys! California just opened up salons for hair cuts again! I’m pretty sure we are the only state that still had them shut down. Eric has been saying that he needs a haircut for weeks now. We are definitely salon people. If you are a guy, do you cut your own hair?

close up picture of sliced chicken in creamy alfredo sauce

My mom cuts my dad’s hair, and he loves to calculate all the money that he’s saved over the years. I tried to cut Eric’s hair once, in the early days. “This will be fun! Just like my parents! 40 years from now we can count the thousands of dollars we’ll have saved!” The haircut took 3 hours and then we didn’t speak for a few days after that, so we decided if we wanted to hang onto our marriage we should cough up the money for real haircuts. (and I’m totally joking, the fight wasn’t that bad!)

creamy fettuccine in a pan being lifted with tongs

Has everyone started school yet? We started two weeks ago, but missed the first week because we were on vacation. But distance learning hardly counts as school anyway, right, so no net loss? Kidding, kidding!

We drove up to Seattle to see our friends Sarah and Brian, who just moved there after 3 years in Japan (Brian’s in the military). It was so fun! We have 9 kids between us, so anywhere we went you could see people counting. I told people they were all Sarah’s. (Why would I claim these rapscallion children as mine??) The kids had tons of fun, we had tons of fun, and I even got to experience my first Dungeons and Dragons session. Nerd alert! I go by Nerwenye now, by the way.

overhead picture of chicken alfredo in a pan

Who here loves a good Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo? I told Eric that I wanted to make it, and to tell the story about Michael from the Office “carbo-loading” right before running a 5k, but he told me not to, it would gross people out. So I will refrain, but go watch that episode if you haven’t already. Also it’s the first episode where Jim and Pam hold hands, so I mean that’s worth it right there. (The Office is only available on Netflix until January! Cue the tears! What will we watch now when nothing else sounds good??)

How to make Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that such an iconic dish like chicken fettuccine alfredo could be so fast and easy. But it really only takes about 30 minutes, maybe 40 minutes the first time you try it. Or if you have children who like to torment each other in the background, that will definitely slow you down.

First we need to sear our chicken. Start by slicing your chicken in half horizontally into cutlets, like this:

how to slice chicken breasts into cutlets

Slice the chicken with a sharp knife and avoid sawing, which will shred your chicken; not what we want.

chicken cutlets patted dry with paper towels for chicken alfredo

Once you have your chicken sliced into cutlets, pat each one thoroughly with a paper towel to get it completely dry.

Rub it with salt, pepper, and a bit of smoked paprika. You don’t have to add the paprika, but I love the subtle flavor it adds! It also adds nice color to the chicken.

Sear your chicken in super hot oil. Do not move it once it’s in the pan! This is how you get a nice brown sear.

pan seared chicken cutlets

When you flip the chicken, add in a little butter. This adds flavor to the chicken and helps it brown. (If you cook the chicken in all butter instead of oil, the butter will get too brown and smokey.)

Remove the chicken and make the sauce in the same pan. Add in a whole lotta butter. This is not an apology. I mean, if you are on a diet, you probably just shouldn’t make chicken alfredo.

melting butter for alfredo sauce

Add in 5 cloves of garlic. You can add less if you are a wimp. Just kidding. But do not underestimate the power of garlic! Don’t be afraid of it!

smashing and mincing garlic

Here’s how I like to smash each clove, peel, then mince.

How do you thicken Alfredo sauce?

The answer is cream. If you are using real, thick cream, that’s all you need to get the perfect texture for your sauce. We are using 2 cups of cream. Yes, 2 cups. Don’t offend me by trying to make this healthy. Eat chicken Alfredo and skip dessert.

adding parmesan to alfredo sauce

The other thickener is parmesan. Shred your own parmesan cheese. Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese, and for heaven’s sake don’t use the powdered stuff. They add anti-caking ingredients to the pre-shredded parmesan that makes it not clump up for packaging and shipping, but if you add it to your alfredo, it inhibits melting and your sauce won’t be quite as smooth.

Slowly stir in the parmesan cheese. Don’t add it all at once. This will help it melt. In the photo above you can see how much I sprinkle in at a time.

How do I add flavor to Alfredo sauce?

Parmesan cheese is your main squeeze for a flavorful alfredo sauce! Also garlic. Tonssss of garlic. The only other spices are salt, pepper, and a smidge each of nutmeg and cayenne. The nutmeg adds a beautiful warmth; the small amount of cayenne adds great flavor but no heat.

adding pasta in increments to chicken fettuccine alfredo

Add the pasta in increments so that it is easier to stir in and get it all coated. It kind of tends to clump on you if you dump it in all at once.

creamy fettuccine alfredo in a pan from overhead

Honestly we could just stop right here. Look at this beautiful fettuccine!

close up of sliced chicken on fettuccine alfredo

But how can we say no to this sear. YUMMMM. Bring on the chicken.

What goes with Chicken Alfredo?

Something green. You need something green to stand up to all these carbs! Salad, broccoli, asparagus, sautéed zucchini, roasted Brussels spouts, green beans, spinach salad, anything green. Or you could try carrots or cauliflower. You could even add some cooked broccoli straight into the pasta.

cooked chicken with alfredo sauce and pasta

And fresh bread is always a good idea, like this One Hour French Bread, to mop up all that alfredo sauce!

More easy weeknight dinners you will love!

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Homemade Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Serves 4     adjust servings

If you have never had homemade Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, you haven't lived! Real, creamy, from-scratch Alfredo sauce is truly one of the most delicious things; store bought Alfredo pales in comparison. Pair your delicious creamy sauce with pasta and perfectly seared, juicy chicken for a decadent and easy dinner recipe, done in about 30 minutes!

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 2 large chicken breasts (1.5 pounds)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola, or light olive oil)
  • 1 tablespoon butter

For the fettuccine

  • water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for pasta water
  • 12 ounces fettuccine

For the Alfredo sauce

  • 3/4 cup butter (1 and 1/2 sticks)
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 cups heavy cream*
  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adds flavor not heat)
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 and 1/2 cups FINELY shredded block Parmesan cheese

To garnish

  • extra parmesan cheese, to garnish
  • chopped parsley, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken. Use a sharp knife to slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, to create a thin cutlet. Start at the thick edge of the chicken breast. See photos. You should end up with 4 thin pieces of chicken that are the same shape as a chicken breast, just thinner.
  2. In a small bowl, combine 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. Pat the chicken with paper towels on both sides until it is very dry. Sprinkle the spice mixture all over the chicken on both sides, and rub in.
  3. Heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium high heat for at least 3 minutes. When it is hot, add 2 tablespoons oil. Swirl to coat. The oil should shimmer right away.
  4. Carefully place the chicken in the pan. Once it touches the pan you can't move it, so arrange accordingly. Do not crowd the chicken. If your pan isn't big enough, do it in batches. Do not touch, poke, or move the chicken at all. It needs to stay put to get a nice sear.
  5. Once all the chicken is in the pan, lower the heat to medium. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes. If you try to flip the chicken and it sticks to the pan, it's not ready to turn.
  6. Use tongs to flip each piece of chicken, swirling the pan as necessary to coat with oil. Immediately add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and swirl the pan as it melts. (The butter helps the chicken to brown, and brings flavor.) Cook the chicken on the second side for about 2 minutes, until the other side is a deep golden brown and a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees F. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Leave all juices in the pan. (Turn the heat off if you're not ready to make the sauce yet)
  7. Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine. Fill a 3 quart pot with water. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt and bring to a boil over high heat. When it is at a rolling boil, add 12 ounces of fettuccine. Stir occasionally so the noodles don't stick to each other. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are al dente (don't over cook!) Drain the noodles, but be sure to save about a cup of the pasta water. Set it aside in a small bowl. Then add a drizzle of olive oil to the noodles and stir so that they don't stick to each other. Set aside.
  8. Make the alfredo sauce. In the same pan that you cooked the chicken in, add 3/4 cup butter (1 and 1/2 sticks) over medium heat. Let it melt and bubble a bit (don't let it brown), then add 5 cloves of smashed and minced garlic. Saute the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
  9. Slowly add 2 cups of cream while stirring. Take your time. Add 1 and 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.
  10. Let the cream mixture cook over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until you see gentle bubbles on the side of the pan. Do not bring to a full boil; your sauce will break (meaning it will look curdled instead of smooth). Lower the heat to medium low.
  11. Finely shred 1 and 1/2 cups parmesan cheese using the finest grater. I do not recommend using pre shredded parmesan (and definitely not the powdered stuff). Pre-grated cheese will not melt as well, and your sauce will be clumpy.
  12. Add the cheese to the sauce just a few tablespoons at a time. Sprinkle some in and stir for a bit to help it melt, then add a bit more cheese, stir, etc. This will help the cheese to melt more thoroughly, making a smooth sauce.
  13. Once all the cheese is added in, taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as you like.
  14. Add the noodles in batches so that it all gets coated well in sauce. Add in about 1/3, stir to coat, the next 1/3, and so on.
  15. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the chicken into strips against the grain. You can either plate the pasta and arrange the chicken on top to serve, or add the chicken to the pasta in the pan and stir it all together.
  16. If you have a wait a few minutes before serving, keep the heat on low and cover. The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits, so to loosen it just before serving, add the reserved pasta water a couple tablespoons at a time, stirring well.
  17. Top each serving with extra parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley!

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Recipe Notes

*Heavy cream is usually sold near the milk at the store. It is sometimes called whipping cream. The different names refer to different fat content levels. (Any type of cream will do for this recipe. The higher the fat content, the richer your sauce will be.) Heavy cream is not coffee creamer. It is the thick, rich part of milk that rises to the top when you milk a cow. Those of you who know what cream is think it is odd that I am explaining this, but it is one of my most-asked questions when I post a recipe involving cream!

All images and text © The Food Charlatan
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