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This chicken fettuccine alfredo is creamy, cheesy, and topped off with the juiciest, most delicious chicken! It’s classic comfort food and perfect for a busy weeknight cause it’s super easy to make!
I like to serve it with cheesy garlic bread and a side salad for a complete dinner meal.
During my time in culinary school, chicken fettuccine Alfredo was one of the first recipes we learned how to cook.
The top three rules we learned were: not to overcook the chicken, which could result in dryness; not to overcook the pasta, which could lead to a mushy texture; and to add a generous amount of salt and parmesan cheese for flavor.
If you follow those tips and a few extra ones, you will make delicious chicken fettuccine alfredo every single time!
INGREDIENT NOTES
SEE THE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR INGREDIENT QUANTITIES AND INSTRUCTIONS.
- Chicken – I recommend using three to four chicken breasts of similar size. In the event that you have chicken breasts of different sizes, it’s best to cook them individually or increase the cooking time by a few minutes for the thicker ones. Just make sure not to overcrowd the skillet when cooking the chicken.
- Heavy Cream – Full-fat heavy cream works best. Do not substitute with milk or half and half.
- Garlic – I like using both fresh and garlic powder for maximum flavor!
- Butter – Salted or unsalted butter works.
- Parmesan Cheese – Use fresh parmesan cheese and grate it yourself! If you use pre-shredded parmesan cheese that comes in a bottle, your sauce will turn out grainy.
- Kosher Salt – Season every layer of the dish for best results. Season the boiling water that you cook the pasta in, the chicken, and the sauce.
- Pasta Water – It will help thin out your sauce and adds more flavor!
TOP TIPS FOR THE ULTIMATE CHICKEN FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
- It’s important that you season the chicken generously on both sides and don’t overcook it. I recommend 5-6 minutes on each side, depending on how thick the chicken breasts are. Always cook chicken breasts until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, take it out of the skillet and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing. This method will enable the chicken to cook further and retain its moisture.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking, so it cooks evenly. Never cook cold chicken straight out of the fridge!
- Cook the pasta til it’s al dente in boiling salted water and reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to thin out the sauce and make it creamier.
- You’ll want to cook the sauce in the same skillet you cooked the chicken in. Once you pour in the heavy cream, scrape the bottom of the skillet to extract all the flavors and spices from the chicken.
- Check for seasoning right before serving; if it needs more salt, add it and then give it a good stir before plating.
CAN I USE STORE-BOUGHT ALFREDO SAUCE INSTEAD OF HEAVY CREAM?
Once you make Alfredo sauce from scratch, you’ll never want to buy store-bought Alfredo sauce ever again! It’s super easy to make and tastes so much better but yes if you’re in a rush, feel free to use store-bought.
If using store-bought Alfredo sauce, I recommend adding grated parmesan cheese and some granulated garlic to make it taste better.
STORAGE & REHEATING
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Heavy cream doesn’t freeze well, so I don’t recommend freezing it.
Reheat it in a skillet over medium heat with a little bit of milk or cream to prevent it from drying out.
MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY…
- Creamy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
- Mushroom Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Three Cheese Alfredo Sauce
- Crispy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine pasta , cooked al dente
- 1 lb chicken breasts , about 3-4 pieces
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup pasta water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous sprinkling of salt.
- Pat dry the chicken breasts with a paper towel, trim off any excess fat, and season generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- While the chicken cooks, cook the pasta until it's al dente and reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked through, remove it from the skillet and set it aside. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it.
- Add the butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for a few seconds.
- Stir in the heavy cream and scrape the bottom of the skillet. Add the parmesan cheese and cook the sauce for 3-5 minutes or until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the cooked pasta, top it off with the sliced chicken, check for seasoning, and enjoy!
Notes
- It’s important that you season the chicken generously on both sides and don’t overcook it. I recommend 5-6 minutes on each side, depending on how thick the chicken breasts are. Always cook chicken breasts until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, take it out of the skillet and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing. This method will enable the chicken to cook further and retain its moisture.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking, so it cooks evenly. Never cook cold chicken straight out of the fridge!
- Cook the pasta til it’s al dente in boiling salted water and reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to thin out the sauce and make it creamier.
- You’ll want to cook the sauce in the same skillet you cooked the chicken in. Once you pour in the heavy cream, scrape the bottom of the skillet to extract all the flavors and spices from the chicken.
- Check for seasoning right before serving; if it needs more salt, add it and then give it a good stir before plating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
