How to Make Spaghetti with Alfredo Sauce (with Chicken)
- Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper on both sides.
- For 4 ounces of chicken breasts, cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. chicken breasts; larger breasts should be cooked for 4–5 minutes on each side, or until they are browned and the internal temperature reaches 165 F. After moving the chicken to a chopping board, cover it with foil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dry spaghetti and cook it as directed on the package, deducting approximately one minute, until it reaches al dente. The pasta should be cooked until it’s about the same time as the Alfredo sauce; if it cooks faster, save one cup of the pasta water, drain, and set both aside.
- Restart the medium-low heat in the pan where the chicken was cooked while the pasta is boiling.
- Use two tablespoons of butter instead of one when making a recipe without chicken. Melt the butter in the pan and then add the minced garlic. Add any browned bits from the pan to the melted butter by scraping it in. In the event that this recipe calls for no chicken, melt two tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Then, add the minced garlic, a pinch of each of the salt and pepper, and half a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Make sure the pasta is boiling as well.) Fry the garlic in the melted butter for about a minute, or until it becomes fragrant and soft. ).
- Stir in heavy cream. Simmer on low heat until slightly thickened (about 2-3 minutes. ).
- Slowly stir in cream cheese until melted and fully combined.
- Pasta should be moved straight from the water pot into the pan of Alfredo sauce using tongs. Toss to mix it in with the alfredo sauce.
- Turn the heat off from under the pan. Add a small pinch of salt and pepper, along with the parmesan cheese, and toss until thoroughly mixed. Two tablespoons at a time, add a small amount of pasta water, and toss until the sauce is smooth and the consistency suits your taste. (It’s not necessary to use all of the pasta water. ) Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the chicken breast over the pasta after slicing it into thin strips. Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh parsley (if desired).
How to Make Chicken Alfredo
This dish comes together quickly, so prepare all the ingredients beforehand. Here’s a synopsis: *Be sure to check out the full printable recipe and video tutorial down below.
- Bring the noodles to a boil: Prepare the Fettuccine al dente per the directions on the package.
- Prepare the chicken by seasoning it and pan-frying it in butter and oil for six minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. After transferring to a cutting board and resting for a short while, cut into slices that are 1/2 inch thick. Tent with foil, while you prepare the sauce.
- To make the Alfredo sauce, use the same pan that you used to cook the chicken. Add the cream, butter, and seasonings. Simmer over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens. Finally, add the Parmesan and stir until it melts and blends smoothly.
- To assemble, drain the pasta and set aside a small amount of liquid to thin out the sauce (if needed). ) Toss immediately with the Alfredo sauce. Spoon pasta into each serving bowl, then add a few cooked chicken slices on top. Garnish with parsley, more Parmesan, and black pepper if desired.
- Avoid pre-shredded cheese. For best results, use real Parmigiano-Reggiano right off the block. Pre-grated cheeses don’t melt properly, making your sauce grainy. And they simply don’t taste nearly as good.
- Don’t over-cook the chicken. When determining when the chicken is done cooking, use an instant-read thermometer to eliminate any uncertainty. When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it is safe to eat; however, it will continue to cook slightly while it is resting. ).
- Make sure you have everything ready before you begin. Although the ingredient list is lengthy, it comes together quickly, much like a stir fry. Thus, prepare everything ahead of time and begin cooking.
- Though we believe the sauce’s consistency is just right, if you find it to be excessively thin, don’t worry. Before tossing with the pasta, you can simmer it for a few more minutes or turn off the heat and let it sit for a minute or two. It will thicken up. Alternatively, you can stir in a small amount of the pasta water that was set aside to thin it out if you find it to be too thick.
- Let’s not fool ourselves—this is a rich, creamy, high-calorie meal—if you want to make it lighter. However, you can reduce the amount by substituting whole or half-and-half milk for the heavy whipping cream. Just remember that the sauce gets thinner the lower the fat content.
Prepare Ahead: Although it’s best to make and serve chicken Alfredo immediately away, it can be prepared up to one day ahead of time. I don’t recommend making the sauce ahead of time. Remaining food: It is recommended to keep any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container. It will keep up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken Alfredo on the stovetop, stirring gently over low heat until it’s combined once more. Note that the sauce will likely separate during this process.
Why do I need Pasta Water?
This garlic alfredo sauce’s creamy texture is essential, so I want to make sure you always get it just right. Stir in some of the starchy pasta water to reunite the sauce if it seems to be “breaking” or separating in any way. A separated sauce usually means that the water and fat molecules aren’t getting along, so I find that a little time, patience, constant stirring, and pasta water help them get along! A little bit of pasta water will do wonders to reunite the water and fat molecules in this rich sauce!
Furthermore, pasta water contains starches and delicious salt that give the pasta a flavor boost without adding extra ingredients to the list.
