Silky Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce (Printable)

Silky fettuccine coated in creamy butter and Parmesan sauce, with optional tender sautéed chicken.

# 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 Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions until al dente. 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 for 6-7 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - In a large pan over medium-low heat, melt butter. If using, add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream and simmer gently, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in Parmesan until melted and sauce is smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
05 - Add drained fettuccine to the sauce and toss to coat thoroughly. Add reserved pasta water gradually to reach desired consistency.
06 - Serve the fettuccine Alfredo immediately. Top with sliced chicken if using, and garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes, which means weeknight elegant without the stress.
  • One sauce, one pan, and suddenly you've created something restaurant-quality that tastes like you actually know what you're doing.
  • The sauce is forgiving if you know the secret, and it transforms into different moods depending on what you add to it.
02 -
  • The magic is in the reservation of pasta water—that starch is what helps the sauce cling to the noodles instead of sliding off, so don't skip this step even though it seems unnecessary.
  • Grating Parmesan fresh, right before you need it, transforms the whole dish because pre-grated cheese refuses to melt smoothly and creates a grainy, separated sauce that breaks your heart.
  • Low heat is your friend from the moment the cream hits the pan; high heat will cause the sauce to separate, and no amount of whisking can fix a broken Alfredo.
03 -
  • Save more pasta water than you think you'll need because it's easier to drain off excess starch than to add it back once the pasta is plated.
  • If your sauce does break or separate, don't panic—whisk in a splash of cold cream off heat and it often comes back together.
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