Chicken Fettuccine Recipe | Creamy
There is a special kind of magic that happens when silky ribbons of pasta meet a rich, deeply savoury cream sauce. This Chicken Fettuccine recipe is exactly that – pure, unadulterated comfort in a bowl. It’s the kind of meal that feels luxurious and special, yet comes together with a rhythm that’s perfectly suited for a weeknight. Forget the jarred sauces; we’re going to create something truly memorable from scratch, building layers of flavour that will make this a staple in your home.
For years, I found that my cream sauces would either be too thin or a bit grainy. I used to struggle with this dish until I discovered the technique of using starchy pasta water and very gentle heat. It completely transformed the texture, creating a sauce that clings to every single strand of fettuccine. This recipe is the culmination of that discovery, a tried-and-tested method for achieving a restaurant-quality chicken pasta dish right in your own kitchen. It’s ideal for those evenings when you crave something genuinely satisfying and delicious.
Recipe Overview
This Chicken Fettuccine recipe features tender, pan-fried chicken breast, sliced and tossed with fettuccine pasta in a velvety, homemade Alfredo-style sauce. The sauce is built on a base of butter, garlic, double cream, and a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, with a hint of nutmeg to add warmth and depth. After testing this recipe five times, I finally got it just right—the sauce is the perfect consistency, and the chicken is wonderfully juicy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Difficulty: Medium
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Fettuccine Recipe
- Genuine Flavour: We’re building this sauce from the ground up with real butter, double cream, and proper Parmigiano-Reggiano. This creates a deeply savoury, nutty flavour that you simply can’t replicate from a jar.
- Ready in Under 30 Minutes: From start to finish, this entire meal comes together in about 30 minutes, which works beautifully for a busy evening when you still want a proper home-cooked dinner.
- Flexible Recipe: This dish is a fantastic canvas. You can stir in a handful of fresh spinach at the end, add sautéed mushrooms with the garlic, or even toss in some sun-dried tomatoes for a tangy contrast.
- Great for a Cosy Night In: It’s the kind of meal that feels like a warm hug. It works wonderfully for a quiet date night or a relaxed dinner with close friends.
- Family Tested: My family adores this recipe. The clean plates and requests for seconds are always the highest compliment a home cook can receive! Even my fussier eaters love the creamy sauce and tender chicken.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the best possible sauce, I always insist on using a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano and grating it yourself. The pre-grated versions often contain additives to prevent caking, which can result in a grainy texture when melted. It’s a small step that makes a world of difference.
- 400g dried fettuccine pasta
- 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 500g total)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 50g unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 300ml double cream
- 80g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated, plus extra for serving
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Sophia’s Tip: Don’t be shy with the black pepper. A generous grinding cuts through the richness of the cream and cheese, balancing the flavours beautifully. I use a coarse grind for a little texture.
How to Make Chicken Fettuccine Recipe
The process for making this chicken pasta is straightforward. We’ll cook the chicken and pasta separately, then bring them together in the luscious, creamy sauce made in the same pan to capture all those delicious browned bits.
- Prepare the Pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package directions until al dente (usually about 8-10 minutes). Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a cup) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: While the pasta is cooking, pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing it into 1cm thick strips.
- Start the Sauce: Reduce the heat under the frying pan to medium-low. Add the butter and let it melt, scraping up any browned bits from the chicken. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
- Build the Cream Sauce: Pour in the double cream and bring it to a gentle simmer. What works best for me is keeping the heat low and steady to prevent the cream from splitting. Let it bubble gently for 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add the Cheese: Remove the pan from the heat completely. Gradually add the grated Parmesan cheese, whisking continuously until it has fully melted into the cream and the sauce is smooth. This is the most crucial step for a silky texture. Stir in the freshly grated nutmeg and season with a little more salt and pepper to your taste.
- Combine Everything: Return the pan to a very low heat. Add the drained fettuccine and the sliced chicken to the sauce. Toss everything together gently until the pasta and chicken are well-coated.
- Adjust Consistency: If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. The starch in the water helps the sauce emulsify and cling to the pasta. This is the secret to a perfect sauce, as explained in articles on sites like Serious Eats.
- Serve Immediately: Stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Serve the chicken fettuccine straight away, garnished with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and a final crack of black pepper.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control: The golden rule for a smooth cream sauce is gentle heat. When you add the cheese, take the pan off the hob. The residual heat is enough to melt it perfectly without causing it to become stringy or grainy.
- The Secret Step: I learned that reserving pasta water is non-negotiable for Italian pasta dishes. It’s liquid gold! The starches that have leached out of the pasta help bind the sauce to the noodles, creating a cohesive and silky dish rather than a watery one.
- Make-Ahead: While the sauce is truly best when made fresh, you can get a head start. Cook and slice the chicken up to a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also grate your cheese ahead of time.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The sauce will thicken considerably when chilled. Reheat gently in a pan over a low heat with a splash of milk or single cream to bring it back to a creamy consistency.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Large, heavy-based frying pan
- Large pot for cooking pasta
- Colander
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Cheese grater (a microplane works best for Parmesan)
- Tongs or a pasta fork for tossing
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcrowding the Pan: When cooking the chicken, ensure the pieces aren’t touching. If the pan is too full, the chicken will steam instead of searing, and you won’t get that delicious golden-brown crust which adds so much flavour. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Boiling the Sauce: Never let a dairy-based sauce come to a rolling boil. A very gentle simmer is all that’s needed to thicken the cream. Boiling it can cause it to “split” or separate, ruining the texture.
- Skipping the Rest Time: Letting the cooked chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing is vital. This simple step allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every piece is tender and moist. If you slice it too soon, the juices will run out onto your board.
Delicious Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the basic chicken fettuccine recipe, it’s great fun to adapt. Here are a few of my favourite variations:
- Spicy Chicken Fettuccine: Add 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli flakes along with the garlic for a gentle, warming heat that complements the creamy sauce.
- Add Some Veg: Sauté 200g of sliced chestnut mushrooms in the pan after the chicken until golden, then proceed with the sauce. You can also wilt a large handful of fresh spinach into the finished sauce just before serving.
- Different Protein: This sauce works beautifully with other proteins. Try it with pan-fried king prawns (add them at the end with the pasta) or flakes of hot-smoked salmon. For another great chicken idea, check out these Bang Bang Chicken Thighs.
What to Serve With Chicken Fettuccine Recipe
This dish is quite rich and substantial on its own, so I like to pair it with something light and fresh to balance the meal.
- A Simple Green Salad: A crisp salad of rocket or mixed leaves with a sharp lemon vinaigrette is the perfect contrast. The acidity cuts through the richness of the Alfredo sauce.
- Steamed Green Beans: A side of tender-crisp green beans, simply steamed and tossed with a little olive oil and sea salt, adds a welcome touch of green.
– **A Glass of White Wine:** A chilled glass of a dry Italian white wine like Pinot Grigio or a zesty Sauvignon Blanc complements the creamy, cheesy flavours wonderfully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken Fettuccine Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the Pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package directions until al dente (usually about 8-10 minutes). Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a cup) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: While the pasta is cooking, pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing it into 1cm thick strips.
- Start the Sauce: Reduce the heat under the frying pan to medium-low. Add the butter and let it melt, scraping up any browned bits from the chicken. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
- Build the Cream Sauce: Pour in the double cream and bring it to a gentle simmer. What works best for me is keeping the heat low and steady to prevent the cream from splitting. Let it bubble gently for 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add the Cheese: Remove the pan from the heat completely. Gradually add the grated Parmesan cheese, whisking continuously until it has fully melted into the cream and the sauce is smooth. This is the most crucial step for a silky texture. Stir in the freshly grated nutmeg and season with a little more salt and pepper to your taste.
- Combine Everything: Return the pan to a very low heat. Add the drained fettuccine and the sliced chicken to the sauce. Toss everything together gently until the pasta and chicken are well-coated.
- Adjust Consistency: If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. The starch in the water helps the sauce emulsify and cling to the pasta. This is the secret to a perfect sauce, as explained in articles on sites like Serious Eats.
- Serve Immediately: Stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Serve the chicken fettuccine straight away, garnished with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and a final crack of black pepper.
Notes
I do hope you love this Chicken Fettuccine recipe as much as we do in my kitchen. It’s a truly satisfying dish that proves simple, high-quality ingredients can create something spectacular. When you’re done, why not try one of my favourite desserts, like these simple Biscoff Truffles? Let me know how you get on in the comments below – I love hearing from you!
