Fettuccine Alfredo
This homemade chicken fettuccine alfredo is better than most restaurant versions. It's all about the details, like the easy creamy sauce that coats the noodles just right.
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1292
- Total Fat
- 89 g
- Saturated Fat
- 51 g
- Carbohydrates
- 69 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Protein
- 54 g
- Cholesterol
- 296 mg
- Sodium
- 883 mg
Article by Emily Saladino
Food Network Kitchen’s easy chicken fettuccine alfredo recipe proves that you can make restaurant-quality pasta at home—all in less than 30 minutes.
Tips for Making Fettuccine Alfredo from Food Network Kitchen
Our recipe developers brainstormed, created and cross-tested this fettuccine alfredo recipe to be sure yours turns out perfectly every time.
Cook the fettucine al dente. Be sure to remove the pasta from the boiling salted water while it’s still firm. It becomes more tender when you add it to the skillet with the chicken and sauce.
Finish the sauce in the skillet. Don’t fret if your alfredo sauce looks thin at first, or if it seems like you have too much of it. When you toss it with the chicken and cooked pasta, the homemade alfredo sauce thickens and clings to the fettucine—and the entire dish comes together before your eyes.
Save some pasta water. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so splash it with a bit of salted pasta water if you want to adjust its consistency.
Fettuccine Alfredo Ingredients and Substitutions
Fettucine. Its thick strands have enough heft to carry the rich sauce. Substitute spaghetti if you like—your dish will still be delicious.
Cream. Our recipe developers don’t recommend making alfredo sauce with milk or even half and half because rich cream gives this dish its irresistible texture.
Chicken breasts. We love the way tender strips of pan-seared chicken breast complement the lush sauce, but you can also make fettuccine alfredo with grilled chicken.
Parmesan-Reggiano. This salty, dry Italian cheese thickens the sauce and provides its signature nutty flavor.
Nutmeg. It might seem like a fiddly amount, but two pinches of nutmeg perfectly offset the richness of the cheesy, creamy sauce. Skip it if you like, but we think it’s worth it.
What to Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo
One of the best things about this chicken fettuccine alfredo recipe is it’s almost an entire meal unto itself. Pair it with a simply dressed green salad plus warm garlic bread.
How to Store Fettucine Alfredo
Store leftover chicken fettuccine alfredo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a large skillet over medium-low, thinning the sauce with water if necessary.
Other Alfredo Sauce Recipes
Hungry for more? Check out our fettuccine alfredo with shrimp recipe, creamy cauliflower alfredo or Roman-style fettuccine alfredo without cream.
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Level: Easy
- Total: 25 min
- Active: 25 min
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1292
- Total Fat
- 89 g
- Saturated Fat
- 51 g
- Carbohydrates
- 69 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Protein
- 54 g
- Cholesterol
- 296 mg
- Sodium
- 883 mg
- Level: Easy
- Total: 25 min
- Active: 25 min
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1292
- Total Fat
- 89 g
- Saturated Fat
- 51 g
- Carbohydrates
- 69 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Protein
- 54 g
- Cholesterol
- 296 mg
- Sodium
- 883 mg
Ingredients
Directions
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- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (tender but still slightly firm). Drain and toss with a splash of oil.
- Meanwhile, slice the chicken into 1/4-inch-thick strips, and lay them on a plate or a sheet of waxed paper. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter melts, raise the heat to medium-high and add the chicken in 1 layer. Cook, without moving the pieces, until the underside has browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pieces, and cook until browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. When the butter has mostly melted, whisk in the cream and nutmeg and bring to a simmer, then cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to keep the sauce just warm.
- Whisk the Parmigiano-Reggiano into the sauce. Add the chicken and cooked pasta and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot in heated bowls.
Cook’s Note
Don't worry if it seems like there is too much sauce. As soon as everything is tossed together, the sauce will start to cling to the pasta and thicken before your eyes!
