Chicken Alfredo is an Italian-American comfort dish: tender chicken and fettuccine in a rich, silky sauce of butter, cream and parmesan. It takes only 30 minutes. The recipe card below lists the ingredients and steps; here are the tips for a smooth sauce.
What makes a good Alfredo sauce
- Real parmesan, freshly grated, melts smoothly. Pre-grated cheese often clumps.
- Gentle heat. The sauce should barely simmer; boiling makes it split or grainy.
- Pasta water thins the sauce and helps it cling to the pasta.
Tips for success
- Salt the pasta water well and cook the fettuccine 1 minute less than the package says; it finishes in the sauce.
- Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper and sear them in a hot pan until golden, then set aside so they stay juicy.
- Cook the garlic in butter for about 30 seconds only; browned garlic turns bitter.
- Add the cream, simmer 2 to 3 minutes, then add the parmesan off the heat, stirring until smooth.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce with a splash of pasta water, add the chicken and serve at once, with parsley and black pepper.
Lighter or different versions
- Use half cream and half milk for a lighter sauce, thickened with a spoon of flour in the butter.
- Add broccoli, mushrooms, spinach or peas.
- Use whole-wheat pasta for more fiber.
Storage
Alfredo is best eaten fresh. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheat gently with a splash of milk, stirring, to restore the sauce.
Recipe
Chicken Alfredo Pasta: Creamy Recipe in 30 Minutes
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Calories
- 650
Ingredients
Method
Preparing the Ingredients: - Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package instructions, then drain.
- Slice the chicken into strips and grate the garlic.
Chicken cooking: Heat the butter in a large pan.
- Sauté the sliced chicken with salt and pepper until golden and cooked through.
- Add the grated garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
Making the Alfredo Sauce: - Add the cream to the chicken and stir over low heat until smooth.
- Gradually add the Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously until the sauce becomes thick and creamy.
Final Mix and Serving: - Add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix well.
- Serve the dish on a plate, garnished with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Tips
- 1. Add a pinch of nutmeg to the Alfredo sauce for a subtle depth of flavor.
- 2. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water before draining. This can help adjust the sauce consistency later.
- 3. If the sauce thickens too much, loosen it with a splash of pasta water or chicken stock.
- 4. Stir constantly while adding the Parmesan cheese to prevent lumps.
- To learn more about the benefits of Chicken: Benefits of Chicken
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 650
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Estimated values, for information only.
