Easy Weeknight Chicken Alfredo
- PREP 10min
- COOK 20min
- TOTAL 30min
This chicken Alfredo recipe is one of our family’s favorites and always hits the spot for an easy, delicious dinner! We skip the heavy cream for the sauce and call for sour cream, butter, parmesan, and starchy pasta cooking water. The sour cream is lighter and adds a delicious tanginess to the sauce. If your chicken breasts are thick, consider pounding them to an even thickness before cooking (not required, but it helps them cook more evenly).
You Will Need
1 pound (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon sweet paprika, optional for color
1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
8 ounces (226g) fettuccine
5 tablespoons (55g) butter
2 ounces (60g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons (30g) sour cream
1 small garlic clove, finely grated on a microplane
Fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Set aside a wide skillet with a lid, or if you do not have one, prepare a sheet of aluminum foil that fits over the skillet.
Take the chicken out of the refrigerator, pat dry with paper towels, and season on both sides with Italian seasoning, paprika, and salt (we use 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt per chicken breast).
Heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and looks shimmery, add the chicken breasts. Cook, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden.
Flip the chicken, reduce the heat to low, and add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet. Cover the skillet with the lid or use foil. Cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Then, transfer the chicken to a plate and cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cut the butter into small cubes, about 8 of them, and place into a mixing bowl with the parmesan, garlic, and sour cream.
Drop the fettuccine into the salted boiling water and cook to al dente (check package directions for timing).
Use tongs to transfer the fettuccine to the mixing bowl with the butter and cheese. Stir to mix the pasta with the cheese and butter. Now add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water to the mixing bowl. Continue to stir until the pasta is coated with a smooth sauce. Season with salt to taste.
Divide the fettuccine Alfredo between serving plates. Cut the chicken into thick slices and divide the sliced chicken between the plates. Spoon any juices left on the plate or from the skillet over the chicken. Serve with more Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh ground black pepper on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Butter: For this recipe, use high-quality butter. I choose European or European-style butter like Kerrygold or Plugra. I use salted butter, but if you have unsalted, adjust with a pinch or two of salt.
- Parmesan: Use a food processor and pulse until very fine crumbs, or use a microplane to grate. Parmesan grated on the microplane will melt into the sauce more easily.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.