Creamy Alfredo Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken and fettuccine tossed in a velvety Parmesan cream sauce for a comforting meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz fettuccine or tagliatelle

→ Chicken

02 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), sliced into strips
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Alfredo Sauce

06 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1¼ cups heavy cream
09 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
13 - Extra grated Parmesan, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken strips with salt and pepper. Cook 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
03 - Reduce skillet heat to medium. Melt butter and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add heavy cream to the skillet, stirring constantly. Let simmer gently for 3–4 minutes.
05 - Whisk in Parmesan cheese and nutmeg if using. Stir until sauce is smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Return chicken to skillet. Add drained pasta and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water gradually to adjust sauce consistency. Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in under 10 minutes once your chicken is done, making this perfect for nights when you're hungry now.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan actually melts into silk instead of clumping, which sounds simple but changes everything about the final dish.
  • You can have tender, restaurant-quality chicken cooked in a skillet without any special technique, just attention and medium-high heat.
02 -
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block the day you cook, or at the very least earlier in the day; pre-grated loses moisture and develops an odd texture by evening.
  • Don't let the cream boil hard or it can break and separate, so medium heat and gentle simmering is genuinely the right move, not just suggestion.
  • Season the chicken properly before cooking rather than after; this builds flavor into the meat instead of just coating the surface.
03 -
  • Have your pasta water ready to go before you start the sauce so you can adjust the consistency at the last second without panic.
  • If you slice your chicken slightly on the bias, it cooks even faster and looks more elegant on the plate.

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