Chicken Alfredo

By Naz Deravian

Chicken Alfredo
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
55 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(497)
Notes
Read community notes

Chicken Alfredo is like a distant American cousin of the Roman fettuccine Alfredo. The original dish was created, in 1908, by Alfredo Di Lelio using only a handful of ingredients: namely rich sweet butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano and pasta water artfully tossed together. Heavy cream, while not traditional and only used in the American iteration, gives the sauce its rich flavor and creamy consistency and requires less tossing. The addition of well-seasoned chicken breasts makes this an American restaurant classic beloved by children and adults alike. The flat wide shape of fettuccine noodles is ideal for the cream sauce to embrace, but you can also use linguine or spaghetti. Be sure to use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (a food processor does the job quickly) to ensure that the cheese is incorporated into the sauce — pre-grated cheese contains additives that don’t allow the cheese to melt properly. For something green, serve with a side of broccoli or a green salad.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 10tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2large boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 pound total), patted dry
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1pound fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti
  • 1½cups heavy cream
  • 6ounces (about 2 cups) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Fresh nutmeg, for grating (optional)
  • Fresh chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

942 calories; 56 grams fat; 31 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 47 grams protein; 713 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Take the butter out of the fridge, cut it into 10 tablespoons and set aside. Season both sides of the chicken breasts well with salt (about 2½ teaspoons total) and pepper. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.

  2. Step 2

    In a large pan that can accommodate the pasta later, place the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, reduce heat to medium and add the chicken; cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, swirl it around the pan and continue cooking until the chicken is golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Flip the chicken, add another tablespoon of butter, swirl it around and cook the other side until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, lift the thinner end of each chicken breast to press the thicker ends on the pan to fully cook and take on a little color, about 1 minute each. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest for 3 minutes. Slice the chicken in ½-inch-thick diagonals and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Discard the oil, then wash and dry the pan.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to package directions. While the pasta cooks, add the cream to the pan and warm through over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Watch the cream very closely, reducing the heat if necessary to maintain a low simmer; you do not want it to come to a boil or simmer rapidly and split. Add the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter, stirring occasionally, until melted. If the pasta is not ready when the butter has melted and the cream sauce has slightly thickened, remove the sauce off the heat until ready to use.

  4. Step 4

    When the pasta is ready, place the sauce over medium heat and set the pasta pot next to the saucepan. Use tongs or a spider strainer to transfer the pasta to the sauce. Alternatively, you can drain the pasta, if you prefer. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and quickly toss with the pasta and sauce. If using, grate a little fresh nutmeg onto the pasta, toss, then taste for salt and add as needed. Top with the sliced chicken and serve immediately, topped with parsley, if desired.

Ratings

4 out of 5
497 user ratings
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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

William Courtney

No need to use a food processor to grate your cheese. With a fine grate microplane, you’ll get 2 cupsful in under two minutes, and you can clean the plane in 30 seconds. Using a food processor you’ll spend longer than that just getting it out and assembling it, the cheese won’t be as finely and consistently grated, and you will spend a heck of a lot of time cleaning the myriad parts.

Michael

I've made versions of this for years. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally, then cut into pinkie-sized strips. When water boils, saute chicken in butter until they swell and turn white (2-3 minutes). Add parsley & fresh marjoram (oregano will work, but use less). Boil fresh egg pasta (fettuccine is best) at same time. If fresh, it should be done with chicken. Drain and mix with noodles. Add cheese. If desired add cream and nutmeg before chicken. S&P.

Jeff P Florida

I sous vide the chicken 1 hour at 145 degrees and then sear in a pan after everything else is done. No issue making sure on the timing because the chicken can always go longer. Makes for a relaxed prep.

I don't cook often, but when I do, I try to please

I like to add garlic. Otherwise, the recipe's picture tells the story. Dee-lish.

Richard

The chicken sits atop the pasta with the butter and cream. How is the taste of the chicken disguised? Set the chicken to the side if you wish. If you look at a recipe for pasta alfredo, half the comments will say that the added chicken or shrimp "for protein" or "because I had some." Alfredo sauce with all the butter and cream is already and exercise in excess. Viva excess!!!

Mariah

Sliced chicken into smaller pieces and tossed with a bit of flour, S&P and garlic powder, then sautéed in butter. Added two whole smashed garlic cloves to the butter while cooking the chicken...left in the dish and whoever found it got a surprise!

mj

A really simple, quick, and satisfying meal.

Bettina

Alfredo sauce has THREE ingredients: cream, butter, parmesan cheese. No garlic, no herbs, NO. You can certainly add what you like, but it is no longer Alfredo sauce.

Alvin S.

For those that don't have or don't want to use heavy cream: I didn't have any so put 1/3 whole milk and 2/3 half & half into a jar with the egg yolk and about 1/2 tbsp of 00 flour (that I had used to make the pasta). Zipped it with an immersion blender and the sauce was beautiful. Added more pasta water at the end while tossing with the linguine and it was perfect.

Hrdoy

This Chicken Alfredo recipe is a delightful twist on the classic, blending rich flavors with a comforting touch. The step-by-step instructions make it easy to recreate, and I'm excited to try it with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for that authentic taste. Ready to bring the joy of a restaurant classic to my kitchen! Protein Talk

Jake R

Really good. We made a beginner home chef mistake of chunking the cheese instead of grating or microplanning. The heat was also too high. The cheese just clumped into a gross thick mass. Otherwise, Add garlic for sure!

Jaimie

I made this with 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup 2 percent milk and 4 tablespoon butter. I still had extra sauce. It was good. My whole family ate it.

Brushjl

Wow, way too much fat. A cup of cream and four tablespoons of butter would have done the trick. The chicken was great but the rest was almost inedible.

maya

Sister likes this a lot. I don’t clean out the pan after chicken bc the flavor is delicious, and instead emulsify sauce with some sodium citrate (sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) citric acid (lemon juice)), which relaxes the casein proteins and makes the sauce extra smooth. Might sub olive oil for butter, wonder if it makes a difference. I also add most random Italian seasonings I can find, minus dried basil, to the chicken. Might start adding some garlic too.

John

I diced one red pepper, broccoli (1 head, florets only), and garlic (forgive me, garlic powder). Used cumin to sweeten the broccoli. Sauteed and stirred the veggies in with the fettuccine. It added color and texture which came out well.

roxinsox

A huge hit! Added mushrooms and garlic to the pan when I cooked the chicken. Delish!

Mary

Way too much butter & not enough cheese.

Mariah

Sliced chicken into smaller pieces and tossed with a bit of flour, S&P and garlic powder, then sautéed in butter. Added two whole smashed garlic cloves to the butter while cooking the chicken...left in the dish and whoever found it got a surprise!

Yvonne from Germany

I wouldn't use so much butter used in the receipe, all in all it' s a real delicious pasta !!

Sara

My niece and I made this with no experience and it turned out delicious. Once the sauce and noodles were incorporated we added the chicken, mixed it in and served it that way. It was so good. We got two dinners and one school lunch out of it. A new favorite.

Voice of reason

Heavy cream has business being used in alfredo. It's butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, and you mix in a little the pasta water for the saucy consistency. There is no heavy cream used in Italian alfredo. Ever.

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