Fettuccine in a silky parmesan-cream sauce with golden seared chicken. Real Alfredo is an emulsion, not a gravy — pasta water keeps it flowing.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
4
400 g
🍝 Fettuccine ›
2
🍗 Chicken Breast ›
sliced
250 ml
🥛 Heavy Cream ›
80 g
🧀 Parmesan ›
finely grated
3 tbsp
🧈 Butter ›
2 cloves
🧄 Garlic ›
minced
1 pinch
🌰 Nutmeg ›
1 tbsp
🌿 Parsley ›
chopped
Add all to shopping list
Mise en place
Before you start
15m
Prep
20m
Cook
35m
Total
4
Serves
Equipment
Large skillet
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Prep checklist
Chicken Breast — sliced
Parmesan — finely grated
Garlic — minced
Parsley — chopped
4 steps
Method
1
Season and sear the chicken over medium-high until golden and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Rest, then slice.
Learn the technique ›
2
Boil the fettuccine in well-salted water, 2 minutes shy of the package. Save a cup of pasta water.
3
In the chicken pan, melt butter with garlic, add cream, and simmer 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in parmesan and nutmeg.
💡
Cheese added at a boil turns grainy — off the heat, it melts into silk.
Learn the technique ›
4
Toss pasta and sauce with splashes of pasta water until every strand is glossy and coated. Top with chicken and parsley.
From the chef
Notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
A buttery Chardonnay stands up to the cream; a crisp Pinot Grigio cuts through it.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.