A creamy, rich sauce envelopes strands of pasta resting underneath a tender cutlet of chicken, simply seasoned and sauté in a savory olive oil. It’s a classic found on many menus and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see how easy it is to make!
I think we’ve used the excuse “it’s too hot to cook” a lot this summer! The heat has been exhausting and the thought of standing over a hot stove gives us all pause. But this spin on a favorite will have dinner on your table in about 30 minutes, with a bit less mess, and the results are quite delectable. Start by making the base for a basic Alfredo sauce made with butter, cream, a sprinkling of kosher salt, black pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Then season the chicken cutlets, again with just a sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then sauté in a touch of olive oil.
In that same pan, pour in chicken stock and cook the fettuccine, stirring until most every last drop of the stock is soaked up.
Ladle the Alfredo sauce in, add some freshly grated Parmesan, and toss until the sauce is silky and thickened.
Plate the pasta, slide slices of the sautéed chicken over the top, maybe a drizzle of that luscious Alfredo sauce over the top and a scattering of Parmesan.
Forget food delivery – this is what’s for dinner!
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
For the chicken and pasta:
4 chicken cutlets, cut or pounded thin, about 1 to 1-¼ pounds
1-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups of chicken stock
8 ounces fettuccine
For the base of the Alfredo sauce:
6 tablespoons butter
2 cups heavy cream
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
About 25 minutes before cooking, season both sides of the chicken cutlets with ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and the pepper. Let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes.
To make the Alfredo sauce:
Warm the butter and the cream in a saucepan over low heat until the butter has melted, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the kosher salt, grated nutmeg, and the black pepper. Keep warm on low heat while you cook the chicken and the pasta.
To cook the chicken and pasta:
Pour the olive oil into a large, deep sauté pan and warm over medium heat. Place the cutlets in the pan and cook until golden on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the cutlets to a rimmed baking sheet and place in a 200-degree oven to stay warm while you cook the pasta and the sauce. Pour the stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt into the same sauté pan you used to cook the chicken – no need to wipe the pan out. Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat. Add the pasta, stirring into the stock.
Continue cooking until most of the stock has been absorbed and the pasta is tender, about 12 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently while it cooks to help it absorb the stock and cook evenly.
Once the pasta is tender, ladle the Alfredo sauce into the pan with the pasta, tossing to coat as you go, adding more as needed to completely coat the pasta., reserving a small amount for serving. Toss in the Parmesan cheese, blending into the pasta.
Finish the pasta by stirring in the grated Parmesan cheese.
To serve:
Slice the chicken cutlets into strips. Divide the pasta between plates or pasta bowls and top with slices of the sautéed chicken. Drizzle with any extra sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Serves 2 to 4. This makes enough for 3 generous servings, 4 servings if you’re also serving a salad.
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- For the chicken and pasta:
- 4 chicken cutlets, cut or pounded thin, about 1 to 1-¼ pounds
- 1-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 8 ounces fettuccine
- For the base of the Alfredo sauce:
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Instructions
- About 25 minutes before cooking, season both sides of the chicken cutlets with ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and the pepper. Let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes.
- To make the Alfredo sauce:
- Warm the butter and the cream in a saucepan over low heat until the butter has melted, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the kosher salt, grated nutmeg, and the black pepper. Keep warm on low heat while you cook the chicken and the pasta.
- To cook the chicken and pasta:
- Pour the olive oil into a large, deep sauté pan and warm over medium heat. Place the cutlets in the pan and cook until golden on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cook in batches if necessary – you don’t want to crowd the chicken while it’s cooking.
- Transfer the cutlets to a rimmed baking sheet and place in a 200-degree oven to stay warm while you cook the pasta and the sauce.
- Pour the stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt into the same sauté pan you used to cook the chicken – no need to wipe the pan out. Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat. Add the pasta, stirring into the stock.
- Continue cooking until most of the stock has been absorbed and the pasta is tender, about 12 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently while it cooks to help it absorb the stock and cook evenly.
- Once the pasta is tender, ladle the Alfredo sauce into the pan with the pasta, tossing to coat as you go, adding more as needed to completely coat the pasta., reserving a small amount for serving. Toss in the Parmesan cheese, blending into the pasta.
- Finish the pasta by stirring in the grated Parmesan cheese.
- To serve:
- Slice the chicken cutlets into strips. Divide the pasta between plates or pasta bowls and top with slices of the sautéed chicken. Drizzle with any extra sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
