Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is an easy recipe featuring delicious creamy sauce, noodles, and savory chicken that makes this a dinner staple.
If I were to have a signature dish, this Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo would certainly be in the top 5. It’s garlicky, creamy, and filled with tons of great flavor! I’ve been making this exact version for years – way before Heather and I ever got married.
It’s one of those dishes that everyone requests. Folks are always asking me to make it. The truth is, though, while it takes a little prep work, it’s pretty dang easy – even the decadent homemade alfredo sauce!
What is fettuccine chicken alfredo?
While I’m not so certain this version of chicken fettuccine alfredo is true to the Italian roots of this pasta dish, I do know it is delicious! Traditionally, chicken fettuccine alfredo consists of fettuccine noodles tossed in a rich and creamy alfredo sauce with seasoned and cooked chicken.
You can make this dish as complex as you want or as simple as you would like. You can make homemade noodles or sauce. Or, you could take a few shortcuts and find jarred alfredo sauce at the grocery store along with noodles. Either way, chicken fettuccine alfredo is a dish everyone loves!
For added nutrients, I like to occasionally add broccoli or peas to my pasta dish. You can make this as versatile as you like. It’s totally up to you! Enjoy!
How to make an alfredo sauce from scratch:
Making an alfredo sauce does not have to be super complicated. Here are a few simple steps and tips for making a sauce you will be proud to serve:
- Combine the heavy cream and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Wait for the butter to be completely melted.
- Once the butter has melted, add the parmesan cheese and whisk until combined.
- Stir frequently to prevent the sauce from scorching.
- Once the mixture has reached a gentle boil, reduce to a simmer and allow it to thicken.
- Finally, add salt and pepper to taste.
What to serve with fettuccine alfredo?
There are so many options you can serve with fettuccine alfredo! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Salad – I love a good side salad. I especially enjoy this pasta dish with a salad covered in my Green Goddess Dressing or Creamy Caesar Dressing.
- Garlic Bread – What is pasta without bread? You could easily find some yummy frozen breadsticks in the freezer section of your grocery store or try out my garlic bread recipe.
- Green vegetable – I think a green veggie goes great with fettuccine alfredo. I love to roast fresh asparagus, broccoli, or green beans, to name a few.
Ingredient FAQs
- Red Bell Pepper: When it comes to the pepper, I opt for a red bell pepper. They’re sweeter and a bit milder than the green bell peppers and complement the dish a bit better to me. Did you know that red, orange, yellow, and green bell peppers are all the same thing? Yep. They’re all from the same plant. The color is determined by how long they stay on the plant. They start green and progress through the colors getting milder and sweeter as they get redder. The colored ones are a little more expensive because they require more care since they’re on the plant longer. Will green ones work? You bet! But the flavor will be a little different.
- Parmesan Cheese: Nothing fancy here, just the plain ol’ grated parmesan that comes in the little green canister. Feel free to buy a fancy brand if you want, but grated is what you need so it will melt into the sauce quickly. Feeling industrious? Grate your own using a microplane. That’s just a lot of work… but you do you, boo.
- Garlic: Of all the kitchen chores, mincing garlic is one of my least favorite tasks. It’s sticky and makes your fingers smell. But my love for fresh garlic requires it. Don’t settle for the jarred stuff. It just doesn’t taste the same. Now, as for those garlicky fingers, wash them and rub them on some stainless steel (like your sink) and that will rid you of the garlic smell.
When it comes to cooking that garlic, you want to cook it just until it’s fragrant. Garlic burns easily and will leave your dish with a bitter flavor. One or two minutes on the heat is plenty to get it cooked through before you head to your next step.
Recipe Card
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1 inch cubes (About 3 breasts)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 oz fettuccine
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Cook the fettuccine according to package directions, drain, and set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper; set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Remove chicken from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the onion and red pepper to the skillet. Add additional oil if necessary. Cook until the onion is translucent and the peppers are tender. Add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic, it will get bitter. Add chicken back to pan with onions, peppers, and garlic. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through.
- To make the sauce, combine the heavy cream and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add parmesan cheese and whisk until combined. Stir frequently to prevent the sauce from scorching. Once the mixture has reached a gentle boil, reduce to a simmer and allow it to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, add the chicken and vegetables to the pasta and ladle the sauce over.
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
SusanLittle
I’m Susan Little and I love this recipe. Thank you
Susan, thank you so much!
Sinnamon A Sevening
I loved this recipe! I have since been chopping a Pablano Pepper into it too just for a little kick!
Diane Bigeck
Love your enchilada video. Looks good and easy. Also, love your originality. Thanks Stacey.
Keep them coming.
Thanks so much, Diane! Will do!
Sounds great! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
ANGELA
I fixed this last night,family came over did not even get a bite.
It must have been a winner they wanted this recipe.
Thanks for making my day with your comments! I’m so glad they all enjoyed it!
Tammy
Oh MY!!!! Can’t wait to try this one! Thanks Stacey!!