Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

1Preparation

1. Pat the chicken cutlets dry and season with salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
2. Grate the cheese finely and chop the garlic and parsley.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta.

2Cooking

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken 5–6 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.

   🔥 high heat⏱ 11 min timer
2. Transfer the chicken to a board, rest for 5 minutes, then slice.

   ⏱ 5 min timer
3. Cook the fettuccine in the boiling water per the packet until al dente, reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.

   🔥 high heat⏱ 10 min timer
4. In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the garlic for 30 seconds without browning it.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 1 min timer
5. Pour in the cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper and simmer gently until slightly thickened.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 4 min timer
6. Stir in the cheese in batches until melted and the sauce is smooth.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 2 min timer
7. Add the pasta and toss in the sauce, loosening with a little pasta water if needed.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 2 min timer

3Serving

1. Divide the pasta between plates and top with the sliced chicken.
2. Garnish with parsley, extra parmesan and black pepper.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Common mistake: boiling the cream hard after the cheese goes in, which splits the sauce and makes it grainy. Keep the heat low.
• Grate the cheese yourself; pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that stop it melting smoothly.
• The sauce thickens as it cools, so leave it a little looser than you want on the heat.

🔁 Substitutions

• Fettuccine: tagliatelle or spaghetti.
• Cream: whole milk thickened with a spoon of cornstarch, though less rich.