Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Chicken alfredo is fettuccine in a rich sauce of cream, butter and Parmesan, topped with seared sliced chicken. It tastes like a restaurant dish but takes about 35 minutes, and the sauce needs just five ingredients.

35 minTotal time
4Servings
790kcal / serving
47 gProtein

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The trick is gentle heat. Keep the cream at a simmer and add the cheese off the boil, and the sauce stays smooth and glossy instead of oily or grainy.

The science: why this works

Slicing the breasts into thin cutlets makes them cook evenly in about 10 minutes, so the outside browns before the middle dries out.
Resting the chicken for 5 minutes lets the muscle fibers relax and hold on to juice, so slices stay moist.
Simmering the cream reduces its water, which makes the sauce thicker and more concentrated without flour.
Adding cheese on very low heat keeps its proteins from clumping and squeezing out fat, which is what makes a broken, gritty sauce.
Tossing pasta with a splash of starchy water links fat and water into a smooth emulsion that coats each noodle.

Why the sauce stays smooth

Parmesan melts into a smooth sauce only below a gentle simmer. Too much heat tightens the milk proteins in the cheese, which squeeze out their fat and clump together. Low heat and finely grated cheese let it melt evenly into the cream.

Learn: Melt cheese gently →

Pasta water is the secret thickener

Pasta water carries starch released during cooking. When you toss it with the cream and cheese, the starch helps bind fat and water together into one glossy sauce. It also thins the sauce a little at a time, so you control the final texture.

Learn: Finishing pasta in the sauce →

Creamy Chicken Alfredo

35 min · 4 servings · Italian · Main course

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

340 gfettuccine
450 gchicken breast, boneless, skinless
1 tbspolive oil
2 tbspbutter
4 clovesgarlic, minced
240 mlheavy cream
60 gParmesan, finely grated (about 3/4 cup)
¼ tspground nutmeg
2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper

Method

Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally into two thin cutlets. Pat dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Bring 4 liters (4 quarts) of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp salt. Cook the fettuccine 1 minute less than the package says, until it still has a firm bite.
Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta. Leave it in the colander.
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deep golden and 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Move to a board and rest 5 minutes, then slice.
Lower the heat to medium-low and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until it smells sweet. Do not let it brown.
Pour in the cream and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, until small bubbles ring the edge and the cream coats the back of a spoon.
Turn the heat to the lowest setting. Whisk in the Parmesan a handful at a time until smooth. Stir in the nutmeg and a pinch of pepper.
Add the pasta and toss with tongs. Splash in pasta water, 2 tbsp at a time, until the sauce is glossy and clings to every strand. Top with the sliced chicken and parsley.

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790 kcal47 g proteinper serving, estimated

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Tips for the best result

Grate the Parmesan yourself from a block, because pre-grated cheese has anti-caking powder that makes sauce grainy.
Let very cold cream sit out for 10 minutes before you add it, so the pan does not drop in temperature.
Serve right away, because alfredo thickens fast as it sits and loses its silky texture.

Mistakes to avoid

Boiling the cream hard, which can make the sauce split and turn oily, so keep it at a gentle simmer.
Adding the cheese while the pan is on high heat, which makes it clump, so lower the heat first.
Draining the pasta and rinsing it, which washes off the starch that helps the sauce cling, so never rinse.

Variations and swaps

Add 2 cups of steamed broccoli florets along with the pasta for a green side built in.
Stir in 1 tbsp of lemon juice and a little zest at the end for a brighter sauce.
Swap the chicken for seared shrimp, cooking them 2 minutes per side until pink.
Swap fettuccine for penne or rigatoni, which hold the sauce in their tubes.
Swap heavy cream for half-and-half plus 1 tbsp flour cooked with the butter, which makes a lighter but still creamy sauce.
Swap Parmesan for Pecorino Romano for a saltier, sharper sauce, and use less added salt.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk until it reaches 165°F (74°C), since the sauce tightens when cold.

Creamy Chicken Alfredo: questions

Why is my alfredo sauce grainy?

Grainy alfredo usually means the cheese got too hot or was pre-grated with anti-caking powder. Turn the heat to low before adding finely grated fresh Parmesan, and stir until melted.

Can I make chicken alfredo without heavy cream?

Yes, but the sauce will be thinner. Use half-and-half cooked with 1 tbsp flour and the butter, or evaporated milk. The sauce will be lighter and less rich.

How do I thicken alfredo sauce?

Simmer the cream 2 to 3 minutes longer, or add more Parmesan in small amounts. Tossing with the pasta and a bit of starchy pasta water also thickens it as it cools slightly.

What can I add to chicken alfredo?

Broccoli, peas, spinach, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes all work well. Add quick-cooking vegetables to the pasta water for the last 2 minutes, or stir spinach into the sauce.

How do I keep the chicken from drying out?

Slice the breasts into thin cutlets so they cook quickly, then pull them off the heat at 165°F (74°C) and rest them 5 minutes. A thermometer takes the guesswork out.