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Fettuccine Alfredo

By Patrick Hogan
Pin Recipe

Fettuccine tossed in a Parmigiano cream sauce emulsified with starchy pasta water, with grilled chicken if you want it.

Fettuccine Alfredo hero image
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
3 hr 40 min
Yield
6 servings

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ lb)
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Sauce

  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 small shallots, very finely minced
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 1½ cups finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • Several grinds of black pepper

Pasta

  • 16 oz (500g) dried fettuccine
  • Kosher salt, for the pasta water

To Serve

  • Coarsely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
  • Extra Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions

Marinade

  1. Whisk the ¼ cup canola oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a bowl or zip-top bag. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
  2. Refrigerate 3–24 hours. Pull it out about 30 min before cooking so it is not going onto the grill straight from the fridge.

Chicken

  1. Scrape the marinade off the chicken and pat it dry. Clinging garlic scorches over the hot part of the grill, and wet chicken steams instead of browning.
  2. Use a tenderizing beater to pound the chicken to an even thickness so it grills evenly.
  3. Grill over the hotter part of a 400°F grill for about 5 min per side, until the chicken reaches 165°F internal.
  4. Rest on a board for 3 min, then cut into ½-inch slices and tent with foil.

Pasta

  1. Boil the fettuccine in well-salted water and pull it 1 minute short of the package's al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water plus a mug more, then drain.

Sauce

  1. In a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and cook until tender, about 2 min.
  2. Pour in the cream, bring to a boil, then drop to medium-low and simmer 3 min.
  3. Off the heat, stir in the Parmigiano, salt, and pepper until smooth. Keeping it off direct heat is what stops the cheese from breaking.

Finish

  1. Return the pan to medium-high. Add the drained pasta and the ½ cup reserved water and toss gently for about 1 min — the starch pulls butter, cream, and cheese into a glossy coat that clings to each strand instead of pooling.
  2. Off the heat immediately. Plate, top with the sliced chicken, and finish with parsley, extra Parmigiano, and more pepper.

Notes

  • The toss at the end is the whole recipe. Starchy pasta water plus heat is what turns butter, cream, and cheese into a sauce instead of a puddle.
  • Grate the Parmigiano finely yourself. Pre-shredded cheese carries anti-caking starch that turns the sauce grainy.
  • Have everything cut and grated before the chicken goes in — from that point on the whole dish moves in one continuous stretch.