Chicken Alfredo pasta

Ingredients

• 300 gfree-range chicken breast fillets
• 1 tbspdried Italian herbs
• 2 tbspmild olive oil
• 300 gtagliatelle
• 150 gParmigiano Reggiano
• 5 gfresh flat-leaf parsley
• 50 gunsalted butter
• 150 mldouble cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Flatten the chicken

   Slice each chicken breast lengthways through the middle to make thinner fillets. Put them between two sheets of cling film and flatten with a pan.

2. 2

   Season the fillets

   Sprinkle the chicken with the Italian herbs, pepper and, if you like, salt.

3. 3

   Fry until golden

   Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and cook the chicken over a medium heat for 5–7 minutes, turning it until golden all over and cooked through. Remove the chicken, leaving the cooking fat in the pan.

4. 4

   Cook the pasta

   Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle according to the packet instructions until al dente.

5. 5

   Prepare the cheese

   Finely grate the Parmesan; a food processor can help, and finer cheese makes the sauce easier to bring together. Finely chop the parsley.

6. 6

   Warm the cream

   Melt the butter in the chicken cooking fat left in the pan. Add the cream and warm for 1–2 minutes over a low heat.

7. 7

   Melt in cheese

   Add four-fifths of the cheese a little at a time, stirring well as it melts.

8. 8

   Coat the pasta

   Drain the pasta, reserving some of its cooking water. Toss the tagliatelle thoroughly in the cheese sauce until coated.

9. 9

   Adjust the sauce

   Add 50–100 ml of the reserved cooking water for four people and stir until the cheese sauce is smooth and loose. Season with pepper and, if you like, salt.

10. 10

    Serve with chicken

    Divide the pasta between plates. Slice the chicken into strips and arrange it over the pasta, then finish with the remaining cheese, ground black pepper and flat-leaf parsley.

What is chicken Alfredo pasta?

Alfredo is an Italian-American pasta dish named after Alfredo di Lelio, a restaurateur in Rome. Its familiar creamy style combines pasta with butter and Parmesan; this version adds double cream and fried chicken for a more substantial meal.

Quick cooking and finely grated cheese help the sauce cling to the tagliatelle. Parsley and black pepper bring a fresh, sharp finish to the rich sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 795 calories, 42g protein, 54g carbs, 45g fat.

The tagliatelle supplies most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken and Parmesan contribute much of the protein. Butter, cream, oil and cheese account for much of the fat; balance the plate with a green salad or vegetables on the side.

Why flatten the chicken?

Even thickness: slicing the fillets lengthways and flattening them helps the chicken cook through in the short frying time. Keep the pieces between cling film while flattening to contain splashes.

Getting a smooth sauce

Fine Parmesan: grate the cheese finely so it melts more readily into the warm cream and butter.

Low heat: warm the cream gently, then add the cheese gradually while stirring. This helps it melt into the sauce rather than clumping.

The right pasta texture

Al dente: follow the packet timing and check the tagliatelle near the end so it still has a little bite.

Reserved water: keep some pasta water before draining. Add it gradually as directed to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta evenly.

Keeping to the 25-minute timing

Overlap tasks: start cooking the pasta while the chicken fries, as the method suggests. Grate the Parmesan and chop the parsley while the pasta cooks.

What to serve alongside

A crisp green salad or simply cooked vegetables make a fresh contrast to the buttery, creamy pasta. Serve them alongside rather than mixing them into the sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Grate the Parmesan as finely as you can so it melts into the sauce more easily.
• Keep the heat low when warming the cream and melting in the cheese.
• Reserve pasta water before draining; it is needed to loosen the sauce.
• Add the pasta water gradually so you can stop when the sauce is smooth and coats the tagliatelle.
• Slice the chicken after it has cooked, then serve it over the pasta.

Variations

• Add garlic: soften finely chopped garlic in the pan before adding the butter and cream.
• Use fettuccine: swap the tagliatelle for another ribbon pasta and cook it according to its packet instructions.
• Add greens: serve with spinach or broccoli on the side for a fresh contrast.
• Bring the heat: add a pinch of chilli flakes to the sauce while it warms.
• Use extra herbs: finish with a little more chopped parsley if you want a fresher garnish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowded pan: cook the chicken in batches if the fillets do not fit comfortably, so they can brown rather than steam.
• Uneven chicken: flatten the fillets to an even thickness so they cook through at a similar rate.
• Coarse Parmesan: grate it finely to help it melt smoothly into the sauce.
• Boiling cream: keep the pan over a low heat to warm the cream gently.
• Clumpy sauce: add the cheese a little at a time and stir as each addition melts.
• No pasta water: reserve some before draining so you can loosen the sauce at the end.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan, stirring in a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce; avoid boiling it.

Frequently asked questions