Silky Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce (Printable)

Fettuccine pasta coated in a smooth butter and Parmesan sauce with optional 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 black pepper, to season

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
02 - If using chicken, season each breast 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 a plate, rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - In a large pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic if desired and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and stir constantly as it comes to a gentle simmer, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg if using.
06 - Add drained fettuccine to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water gradually to reach the desired sauce consistency.
07 - Serve the fettuccine topped with sliced chicken if desired. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinners feel restaurant-quality without the stress.
  • The sauce comes together with just butter, cream, and cheese, proving that simplicity and elegance aren't mutually exclusive.
  • One pan does most of the work, keeping cleanup blissfully minimal.
02 -
  • Cold cheese curdles in hot cream, so always grate your cheese fresh and add it slowly over low heat; this is the difference between a restaurant-quality sauce and scrambled cheese.
  • Never wash your Parmesan grater immediately after using it—soak it first, or the cheese will cement itself into the holes and ruin the tool.
03 -
  • If your sauce breaks or becomes grainy, remove it from heat and whisk in a splash of cold cream or pasta water to reset it.
  • Buying a whole block of Parmigiano-Reggiano and grating it yourself costs slightly more upfront but tastes so much better that every dish improves for months afterward.
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