Ultra Creamy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Fettuccine Alfredo, despite being a pretty simple pasta dish, is a hard one to beat in terms of deliciousness and decadence. There are quite a few ways one could prepare fettuccine Alfredo, and perhaps more specifically, there are quite a few proteins that one could pair with the creamy pasta dish. Serving the pasta alone is always an option, but recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse pairs her fettuccine Alfredo with breaded chicken for a crispy twist on a classic. "It's hard not to love fettuccine Alfredo," Rosenhouse tells us, "and this extra creamy version with breaded chicken is the ultimate comfort food, whether you're treating yourself after a long day or sharing a special meal with loved ones." She recounts a memory of falling in love with chicken Alfredo at an Italian restaurant as a kid, and feels confident that this recipe does justice to the dish. 

If fettuccine Alfredo was your go-to as a kid (or is as an adult), then you'll find comfort with this recipe as well, both thanks to its rich, creamy, cozy flavors and its ease of preparing. Both components — the pasta itself and the breaded chicken — come together in just 40 minutes, and the recipe yields enough to serve a family of four. No Italian restaurant is necessary here; you can whip up a comfort classic in your own kitchen, and with fridge and pantry staples at that.

You'll start this recipe by preparing the breaded chicken, for which you'll need two chicken breasts (halved lengthwise), kosher salt, black pepper, an egg, all-purpose flour, seasoned panko breadcrumbs, and olive oil. As for the fettuccine Alfredo, you'll need more salt, fettuccine pasta, butter, heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and freshly chopped parsley. Optionally, you can add garlic to the Alfredo sauce, and you may wish to have extra Parmesan on hand to top off the finished dish.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and top with a wire rack. Set aside.

Season the chicken to coat on both sides with salt and pepper.

Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl with a splash of water.

Transfer the flour and panko to two separate shallow bowls or plates.

Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge in flour, shaking off the excess, then the egg mixture, then the panko.

Transfer the coated chicken breasts to a plate.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add two chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on the first side.

Flip and cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 F.

Transfer to the prepared rack and repeat with the remaining chicken. Optional: Keep chicken warm in a preheated 200 F oven until ready to serve.

Fill a large pot with at least 3 inches of water, and season with 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil.

In the meantime, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.

Add the garlic, if using, and cook, stirring, until aromatic.

Add the cream and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in half of the Parmesan cheese.

Cook the pasta in boiling water as directed on the package until al dente.

Use tongs to transfer the pasta to the skillet.

Toss the pasta with the sauce, black pepper, and remaining Parmesan cheese to coat.

Ladle in pasta water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce for a creamy result.

Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with fresh parsley and additional grated Parmesan if desired.

Serve the pasta with the chicken.

If you've ever had the pleasure of enjoying fettuccine Alfredo in Italy — perhaps even at Alfredo alla Scrofa, the restaurant where fettuccine Alfredo was born — then you likely realize that this recipe isn't following the traditional method of making the beloved pasta dish. "Traditional fettuccine Alfredo is made with a simple emulsion of butter, Parmesan, and pasta water for a rich, silky sauce," Rosenhouse explains, so if you were to dine at a restaurant in Italy, there's a good chance that this type of Alfredo is what you'd receive (maybe even tossed right at your table on top of a giant wheel of Parmesan cheese, if you're so lucky).

Americanized versions of fettuccine Alfredo are a bit different than traditional ones, but still just as delicious and arguably more creamy because, well, they include heavy cream. "This cream-based version adds heavy cream for extra richness and a velvety texture," Rosenhouse explains. She notes that this recipe is undeniably different from traditional ones, but it certainly pays homage to the OG thanks to the use of classic ingredients like fettuccine pasta, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Traditional fettuccine Alfredo is creamy and cheesy on its own, but cream-based recipes add a certain level of rich depth that, for those who love their pasta extra creamy and luscious, is just as good if not better than a traditional version.

The beauty of a fettuccine Alfredo recipe that includes chicken (like this one) is that it's a full meal in and of itself. You've got hearty pasta, a good protein source from the chicken, and overall a good plateful to keep you satisfied (at least until it's time for dessert). That said, you may feel inclined to pair your hearty pasta dish with other sides or appetizers, ideally those of a lighter and perhaps greener variety.

"I would pair this fettuccine Alfredo and chicken with light veggie sides to round out the meal," Rosenhouse tells us. "A mixed green salad, grilled asparagus, roasted broccolini, or green beans would all be good options." Roasted vegetables would make for an ideal accompaniment for the chicken and pasta, offering a perfectly balanced plate that truly has a little bit of everything. Otherwise, you could take a cue from Rosenhouse and start your meal with a nice salad, or perhaps serve it on the side as you enjoy the entree itself (but avoid serving it on the plate to avoid the salad dressing seeping into the chicken or pasta). 

If you'd prefer to keep your chicken Alfredo as-is with no added sides, then perhaps a nice glass of wine might be more your speed. A dry white wine pairs well with both creamy pastas and white meats like chicken, so you can't go wrong by reaching for a bottle of pinot grigio, chardonnay, or sauvignon blanc.