Make Garlic Chicken Alfredo

Tired of plain pasta? Rich Alfredo sauce, garlic, and black pepper enliven the dish considerably. This recipe serves the chicken atop the pasta to show off its texture and flavor, but you can easily cube the chicken and stir it into the sauce instead.

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 1 lb (0.45 kg) Fettuccine Pasta
  • 2 Chicken Breasts
  • 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 Cups (480 mL) Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grated
  • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) Olive Oil
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Italian Parsley (optional)
  • Either 2 cups (480 mL) Heavy Cream
  • Or 1 cup (240 mL) Heavy Cream & 2 Egg Yolks
  • 2 Quarts (2 Liters) Water

Steps

Chicken

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Heat until the oil shimmers or barely begins to smoke.
    • You can substitute butter for a richer flavor.
  2. Season the chicken. Sprinkle boneless or Debone-a-Chicken-Breast chicken breasts with black pepper and salt.
  3. Cook chicken breasts for one minute on each side. Add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet. Cook briefly over medium heat, until just beginning to turn golden on each side.
  4. Cover and cook for ten minutes. Cover the skillet with a tight lid. Reduce heat to low. Set a timer for 10 minutes and leave the chicken to cook.[1]
  5. Remove from heat and leave covered. Leave the chicken covered and in the pan for about another ten minutes. This will keep the chicken moist and warm while you make the rest of the dish.
    • Get started on the pasta as soon as you remove the pan from heat.

Pasta

  1. Bring salted water to a boil. In a separate, large pot, put two quarts (two liters) water over high heat, plus a generous pinch of salt. This is less water than usual for this amount of pasta. This will leave us with an extra starchy water base to start our alfredo sauce.[2]
    • Add more water if you plan on making a more traditional, extra-rich sauce.
  2. Cook pasta until slightly underdone. Check the package instructions for recommended cooking time. Boil the pasta for a minute or two less than the label suggests.
    • Start on the sauce while you wait. Set a timer for the pasta so you don't forget to check it.
    • If using fresh pasta instead of dried, cook for about 45 seconds instead, or until al dente.
    • Fettuccine is the original pasta choice for this dish, but you can use any type. The dish is only a few decades old, so your Italian grandmother won't roll in her grave too vigorously.[3]
  3. Save some of the water before draining. If you want to make the lighter version of this dish, save 2 cups (480 mL) of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside in a large bowl.

Garlic Alfredo Sauce

  1. Check on the chicken. After the chicken has been off the heat for ten minutes, remove the lid. Make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through, with no pink meat visible. Set the chicken aside.
  2. Heat minced garlic in the skillet. Peel and chop the garlic. Toss it in the hot skillet. Stir it while cooking for about one minute, or until it releases its aroma. Set it aside.
    • Heat a little more olive oil or butter first if the pan is dry.
  3. Heat and thicken a cream sauce. While Alfredo sauce began as just butter and cheese, the most common version nowadays uses heavy cream. Using one of the two recipes below, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
    • Extra-rich: 2 cups (480 mL) heavy cream, added directly to the skillet.
    • Light (ish): 1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream, 2 large egg yolks. Heat gradually in a cold pan or Temper-an-Egg to avoid scrambling the egg.
  4. Add cheese and black pepper. The cheese is the centerpiece of the dish. Grated or shredded Parmigiano Reggiano will make a much more flavorful sauce than powdered parmesan.[4] Also add a generous amount of black pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted and well-mixed.
    • Optionally, save ⅓ of the cheese to sprinkle on top of the dish just before serving.
  5. Add reserved pasta water (light version only). If you went with the light recipe containing eggs, gradually add the 2 cups (480 mL) leftover pasta water. Whisk constantly as you do so. This starchy water will thicken the sauce, making up for the lesser amount of cream. Bring to a boil again and cook for about 45 seconds. Stir constantly to break apart lumps.[5]
  6. Combine sauce and pasta. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss until thoroughly coated. Taste the sauce, adding more black pepper or salt if necessary.
  7. Serve with chicken. Cut the chicken into strips and lay them on top of the pasta in the serving dishes. Optionally, sprinkle with more cheese, parsley, and/or black pepper.



Things You'll Need

  • Skillet with tight-fitting lid
  • Large pot
  • Several bowls
  • Whisk
  • Stirring utensil

Tips

  • You can cook the chicken any way you like. Try grilling it, baking, it, or poaching it in chicken stock. If you prefer to mingle the flavors, leave it in the pan as you cook the sauce.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-moist-tender-chicken-breasts-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891
  2. ↑ http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/09/lighter-fettuccine-alfredo-recipe.html
  3. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/01/travel/fettucine-a-dish-fit-for-a-duchess.html
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS5XRg5Tfms
  5. ↑ http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/09/lighter-fettuccine-alfredo-recipe.html
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