Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Creamy chicken Alfredo with a glossy sauce that clings to every strand of fettuccine. The real trick: no cream. Authentic Alfredo is butter, Parmesan, and pasta water — the sauce emulsifies right in the pan, and the chicken adds substance to a dish that was originally meatless.
Prep Time
22 min
Cook Time
29 min
Servings
2
Calories
426 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Pasta100 g
- Chicken250 g
- Cream¼ cup
- Garlic1 ½ cloves
- Parmesan Cheese¼ cup
- Olive Oil1 tbsp
- Basil½
- Black Pepper¼ tsp
- Salt½ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 2 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Pasta100 g
- Chicken250 g
- Cream0.25 cup
- Garlic1.5 cloves
- Parmesan Cheese0.25 cup
- Olive Oil1 tbsp
- Basil0.5
- Black Pepper0.25 tsp
- Salt0.5 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Drop in 1 lb fettuccine and cook 1 minute less than the package time — it'll finish in the sauce.
- 2
While the pasta cooks, slice 2 chicken breasts into ½-inch strips. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering.
- 3
Sear the chicken in a single layer, undisturbed for 3 minutes, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Don't overcook — it'll go back into hot sauce.
- 4
Lower the heat to medium-low. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. When melted and foaming, add 1 cup of pasta water (scooped from the pot). Whisk until the butter emulsifies into the water and looks creamy.
- 5
Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet along with 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan. Toss vigorously with tongs for a full minute — the cheese melts into the pasta water and butter, creating the sauce. Add more pasta water by the splash if it looks dry.
- 6
Return the chicken to the pan, toss to coat, finish with cracked black pepper and a small grating of nutmeg. Serve immediately on warm plates — Alfredo waits for no one.
Watch how to make Chicken Alfredo Pasta
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Grate the Parmesan yourself from a block. Pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting into a smooth sauce — you'll get a grainy, broken texture instead.
- 2.Pasta water is not optional. The starch is what holds the sauce together. Save a full mug before draining, even if you think you won't need it.
- 3.Skip the cream. American restaurant Alfredo uses cream because it's foolproof, but the texture is heavy and the flavor is dull. Butter and Parmesan alone are richer and lighter at the same time.
- 4.Use real fettuccine, not spaghetti. The flat ribbons hold the silky sauce in a way that round pasta can't.
🔬 Why It Works
Alfredo is an emulsion — fat (butter) suspended in water (pasta water) and held together by an emulsifier (the Parmesan, plus the starch from the pasta). When you whisk the butter into hot pasta water, you break the fat into tiny droplets that the starch coats and stabilizes. The Parmesan, melted from contact with hot pasta, joins the emulsion. The result is a sauce that's silky and rich without being heavy. Cream-based 'Alfredo' is just a shortcut that overpowers the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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