Easy Fettuccine Alfredo with Pan-Seared Chicken

This easy Fettuccini Alfredo is creamy and bursting with garlic parmesan flavor! The best part is the sauce only needs 4 ingredients and 30 minutes to make it! This is one of my copycat recipes inspired by Maggiano’s Fettuccine Alfredo but between you and me, I think mine is better! This version also has half the calories compared to your typical Alfredo dish but tastes just as delicious.

This recipe, inspired by Maggiano’s Little Italy’s Fettuccine Alfredo, only takes 30 minutes to make! That would be your wait time alone at the restaurant!

Ingredients needed for Fettuccini Alfredo

• Chicken Breast: I pounded the chicken breasts to ensure they would be tender and juicy!
• Butter: I only used 4 tablespoons of butter for this recipe but butter is key in making the sauce really creamy and velvety.
• Fresh Parmesan: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT use the shaker parmesan or pre shredded. It will ruin the sauce and make it clumpy and burnt. I know fresh parmesan is expensive but it is so worth it and will last you a long time! Fresh Asiago cheese would also work well in this recipe!
• Fettuccini Noodles: I used the classic fettuccini noodle for this Alfredo recipe. You could totally use whatever noodles you have on hand!
• Garlic: Garlic brings out all the great flavors of this dish and you only need about 3-4 cloves!
• Heavy Whipping Cream: I know authentic Italian Fettuccini does not use cream, but I added 2/3 a cup to this recipe just to make it extra creamy and rich. You could omit this and replace for equal parts pasta water but your dish will be less creamy!
• Pasta Water: The reserved pasta water helps make the sauce less caloric and the salted water brings extra starchy flavor to the dish. You could just use cream but I like lightening the sauce up! If you are feeling fancy you can add a splash of white wine too.
• Parsley: For garnish and bright flavor. You could also use fresh chives.
• Pepper and Salt: Alfredo isn’t Alfredo without some pepper! Also, add salt to taste!

How to make Fettuccini Alfredo

1. First, pound your chicken breasts until the whole piece is even. Usually the top is always thicker than the bottom so try to match the thickness of the bottom for even cooking time. Season your chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Heat your stove top to medium-high heat and in a large skillet, pan sear the chicken for about 6-8 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. While the chicken is cooking, boil and salt your water in a large pot. Cook the Fettuccini noodles for 2 minutes less than the box instructions say. They will finish cooking in the sauce later. Make sure to reserve a cup or two of the pasta water.
4. In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the butter and garlic and cook on low heat. You do not want to burn the garlic or the butter here, you just want them to be fragrant and combined.
5. Next, add the cream and the pasta water to garlic butter mixture. Raise the temperature to medium heat and stir frequently. Now, add your freshly grated parmesan cheese and continue to stir quickly so your sauce will be lump-free. . Turn up the heat to high until the sauce starts bubbling then simmer for another couple minutes. I don’t add flour to the sauce because I find it thickens nicely without it. (Don’t worry if you think the sauce looks thin, your noodles will absorb a lot of it and it will thicken as it sits with the noodles!).
6. Lastly, add your pasta noodles and stir for about two minutes until your sauce thickens and the pasta reaches the perfect al dente stage. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Stir in some parsley and remove from the heat. Garnish with more parsley and parmesan and serve with the pan-seared chicken breast. Enjoy with your choice of salad and garlic bread!

This homemade Alfredo sauce is a game changer! Once you see how easy it is to make, you will never go back to store-bought sauce (or Maggiano’s)!

This has got to be one of my favorite dishes up to date! I made it last night for Valentine’s Day, and it was a hit! The sauce is so easy to make and you can never go wrong with a juicy, hearty chicken breast! The great thing about this recipe is you can customize how much garlic, butter, and cream you would like to add and can enjoy a delicious bowl of pasta that you won’t have to send back to the chef!

Fettuccini is one of those classic pastas that you never get tired off. Although, traditional Italian Fettuccini only uses butter and fresh parmesan cheese! In the south, we add heavy cream to everything but this recipe is still a fun twist on authentic Fettuccini! Your taste buds will thank you for making this recipe. I hope you enjoy and as always, poftă bună!