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This easy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo recipe has the most dreamy parmesan garlic cream sauce that perfectly coats the pasta. Golden pan-fried garlic chicken takes this dish to the next level!
You’ve been loving my Shrimp Alfredo, so I figured it was time to make a chicken version! The recipe is very similar because why fix what ain’t broken. 😉 I included easy instructions for how to cook chicken for Fettuccine Alfredo. Just season it with salt & pepper and garlic powder, coat it in flour (this makes it less likely to stick to the pan and gives it a nice golden coating), pan fry it, then slice it up and add it to the pasta when it’s done. You could also use rotisserie or cooked chicken if that’s easier for you.
Alfredo sauce is simply a mix of cream, butter, and parmesan cheese, but I also add cream cheese to it, and it’s a game changer. It helps thicken the sauce and adds a delicious bit of tanginess to it. I also add garlic… obviously.
Chicken Alfredo ingredients
- Fettuccine pasta (or use whatever you have on-hand)
- Two chicken breasts (slice them in half lengthwise to cook them faster and keep them tender)
- Flour (it helps give the chicken a delicious crust)
- Butter (unsalted)
- Cream cheese (for added texture and tangy taste)
- Heavy cream (rich, delicious, and much less likely to curdle than other options)
- Chicken broth (more flavor!)
- Garlic (I use both fresh cloves and garlic powder in this recipe)
- Parmesan cheese (it’s not Alfredo sauce without it)
- Olive oil (for pan-frying the chicken)
How to make Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Prep the chicken: sprinkle it with salt & pepper and garlic powder, then coat it in flour;
- Cook the chicken: pan-fry it in the oil & butter for 5 minutes/side or until it’s cooked through;
- Make the sauce: use the same skillet you cooked the chicken in. Add the remaining butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, chicken broth and garlic. Stir to incorporate the cream cheese then let it thicken for 5 minutes or so. You then stir in the parmesan;
- Finish it up: drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Top with the sliced chicken.
The full ingredients list and instructions are in the recipe card below.
Can I substitute the cream for something else?
I don’t recommend it as the sauce may not thicken properly and may curdle. Alfredo sauce is notorious for curdling if you use milk… so use any substitutions at your own risk. This is definitely a treat meal, and a delicious one at that (this tastes like something you’d get at the Olive Garden or Cheesecake Factory).
What to serve with Chicken Alfredo
Try some garlic bread or a salad.
Recipe notes & tips:
- If your Alfredo sauce isn’t thick enough, cook it for a few more minutes. If it ends up too thick, add a splash of the hot pasta water to it.
- Chicken can easily go from underdone to overdone in recipes like this. I recommend using an instant read thermometer to take the guesswork out of it. Chicken is safe to eat at 165F (keep in mind its temperature will keep rising a few degrees after you stop cooking it).
- I always like to suggest grating your own parmesan cheese. It tastes much better, and some of the pre-grated stuff doesn’t melt into the sauce as well. I love this cheese grater. I always keep a wedge of parm in my fridge.
- The cream cheese really needs to be soft to make this recipe go much smoother, so I recommend taking it out of the fridge 30+ minutes prior to starting the recipe, or microwaving it for 20-30 seconds or until it’s very soft and pliable.
Other creamy recipes you’ll love:
- Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
- Creamy Garlic Chicken
- Lemon Parmesan Chicken Alfredo Recipe
- Creamy Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini
- 15 Minute Creamy Alfredo Gnocchi
I hope you will love this Chicken Alfredo as much as I do!
Questions? Made this recipe? Leave me a comment below and tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram so I can see your creations.
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Flour for dredging
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
- 4 ounces cream cheese (I used 1/2 block of Philly) softened
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge to soften up at least 30 minutes (or longer) prior to starting the recipe, or microwave it for 20-30 seconds. Grate the parmesan cheese. I prep other ingredients while I'm going along.
- Boil a large, salted pot of water for the fettuccine. Cook it al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have 4 thinner cutlets. Sprinkle them with the garlic powder and salt & pepper on both sides. Coat them in flour.
- In a deep skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the pan is hot, cook the chicken for 5 minutes/side or until golden and cooked through. Take the pan off the heat, and remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
- Wipe out the skillet/give it a quick rinse if there's a lot of extra grease (no need to wash it unless you really want to). Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the cream cheese, cream, chicken broth, and garlic. Return the pan to the burner over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the pan has heated up, use your spoon to help the cream cheese melt into the sauce. This will take a couple of minutes.
- When the cream cheese has been incorporated into the sauce, let it gently bubble for 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced somewhat. You can give it the occasional stir. Slice the chicken into bite-size strips while it's cooking.
- Stir the parmesan into the sauce. Let it cook for about a minute. The sauce should be thick enough by now, but if you want to reduce it further, let it cook for a little longer. If at any point the sauce gets too thick, simply add a splash of the hot pasta water to it. Give it a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed.
- Drain the fettuccine and add it to the skillet and toss with the sauce. Dish it up with the chicken on top (or mix it in) and grate on more parmesan cheese as desired.
Notes
- I do not recommend subbing the heavy cream for anything. Alfredo sauce can easily separate if you're making it with milk or something with a lower fat content. This is definitely a treat meal.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My entire family loves this recipe, which is a huge win with 3 picky kids! I’ve made it a handful of times and the flavor is absolutely delicious. However, each time the sauce had turned out extremely thick. I added more chicken broth, but it was difficult to get the consistency I was looking for. Tonight I made it and used half and half instead of heavy cream, and it was perfect! Just a suggestion for anyone who may find the original recipe too thick.
I’m glad you were able to tweak it, Heather!
So I used just your Alfredo sauce recipe for dinner and the sauce got really thick and wasn’t very saucy. I realized that in this recipe you have 1/4 cup of chicken broth and the plain sauce doesn’t. Could that be the reason? The sauce recipes are not the same between this and your regular Alfredo sauce. Which one is right for the future?
Hi! You could definitely add chicken broth to the regular one if you feel it needs a little extra sauce. Or add in some hot pasta water or cream as suggested in the recipe card if it gets too thick. I add the chicken broth in the shrimp and chicken Alfredo recipes because there’s protein in those so it makes a bit more sauce right off the bat.
Found the chicken fettuccine Alfredo and will try. Why can I not print it?
Hi! I’m not sure. It works for me to print. It could be something to do with your printer or browser settings.