Chicken Alfredo

By Naz Deravian

Updated Sept. 14, 2023

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(1,084)
Comments
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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.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,084 user ratings
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Comments

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.

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.

Steph

This was great! Here are my tips based on my performance tonight :) Right before I put the pasta in the water, I popped my side dish in the oven (roasted asparagus) and preheated the pan for the chicken. I used chicken tenderloin pieces so they would be done quickly. I was running slightly short on time between the chicken and the sauce, so I turned the pasta off short of al dente to hang out in the pot until the sauce was ready, and didn't clean the chicken pan (I dumped the oil though). Everything turned out great, but I didn't need 2 cups of cheese for the sauce, and I needed a goodly amount of pasta water to keep it loose for serving. I'd do everything just like this next time. Happy Valentine's Day!

Esther

No garlic? I thought Alfredo sauce had tons of garlic in it.

Mo

@Esther No, Alfredo is butter and parmigiano-reggiano. That’s its.

Amy P.

This was absolutely fabulous. Made the recipe as-is. Pounded the chicken breasts ahead of cooking. Lifted the cooked pasta out of the water and directly into the sauce. I didn’t have any nutmeg. Everyone loved it! Very easy and very impressive.

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