Silky Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce (Printable)

Rich fettuccine with butter, cream, Parmesan, and optional sautéed chicken for a hearty touch.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz fettuccine

→ Sauce

02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced (optional)
06 - Salt, to taste
07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
08 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

→ Optional Chicken

09 - 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
11 - Salt and pepper, to season

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How to Prepare:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettuccine until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken 6 to 7 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to plate, let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - In a large pan over medium-low heat, melt butter. If using, add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in Parmesan until melted and sauce is smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
06 - Add drained fettuccine to sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water gradually as needed to achieve desired sauce consistency.
07 - Serve fettuccine Alfredo immediately. Top with sliced chicken if desired, sprinkle with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in under 10 minutes but tastes like you spent hours at the stove
  • That magical moment when Parmesan melts into cream and creates something greater than its parts
  • Works beautifully as a vegetarian main or topped with seasoned chicken for extra protein
02 -
  • The sauce thickens quickly off heat so remove it from the burner slightly earlier than you think
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold cream straight from the refrigerator
  • Never let the sauce come to a rolling boil or the cream may separate and ruin the texture
03 -
  • Pecorino Romano creates a sharper, saltier sauce if you find traditional Alfredo too mild
  • Leftover sauce reheats beautifully with a splash of cream over the lowest possible heat
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