Description
This One Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta is a creamy, comforting dish featuring tender pan-seared chicken breast cooked with fettuccine pasta in a luscious Parmesan and cream sauce. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s an easy and satisfying meal perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 200 g / 7 oz chicken breast, cut in half horizontally
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Pasta & Sauce
- 250 g / 8 oz fettuccine
- 2 cups milk (any fat percentage)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock / broth
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup thickened / heavy cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Parsley, chopped, for garnish
- Additional freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Season and Cook Chicken: Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly on both sides of the chicken breast halves. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken onto a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly while the pasta cooks.
- Simmer Base Liquid and Add Pasta: In the same skillet, add the milk, chicken stock, and minced garlic. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the fettuccine pasta to the skillet.
- Soften the Pasta: Stir and move the pasta around every 30 seconds to prevent sticking. Continue this for about 3 minutes until the pasta starts to soften.
- Continue Cooking Pasta: Reduce the heat to medium. Stir the pasta every few minutes as it cooks. By 9 to 10 minutes, the pasta should be almost tender with liquid still visible covering the base of the skillet.
- Add Cream and Parmesan: Add the thickened cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Stir well to combine.
- Thicken Sauce and Finish Cooking: Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for around 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and the pasta is fully cooked. If the sauce becomes too thick or gluggy, add a splash of hot water and toss to restore the sauce’s silky texture.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, topped with extra grated Parmesan and garnished with chopped parsley for freshness.
Notes
- This recipe works well with any cream type, including light cream, though richer creams yield a more decadent sauce.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts better and creates a smoother sauce; store-bought grated Parmesan may not fully melt.
- Remove the dish from heat while the sauce is still saucy to prevent over-thickening as you prepare to serve.
- Cooking chicken separately before combining ensures juicier, nicely browned chicken pieces for better flavor and presentation.
- If brown bits stick to the pan and you want a white sauce, scrape off larger browned bits to keep the sauce color light.
- If the sauce thickens too much, adding hot water and stirring helps restore the smooth consistency.
- To achieve a softer pasta than al dente, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot water and cook longer as desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/3 of recipe)
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
