Creamy Chicken Fettuccine Delight
A quick yet luxurious dish featuring silky Fettuccine pasta swirled in a mild garlic-Parmesan cream and topped with tender seared Boneless skinless ch...
4 servings
Italian-American Cuisine
🔵Easy★★☆☆☆
Jun 20, 2025
17 views
Ingredients
🥩
1 lb
Boneless skinless chicken breast
cut into 1/2-inch strips
🥛
2 tbsp
Unsalted butter
📦
2 tbsp
Fresh parsley
finely chopped
🥩
1/2 cup
Low-sodium chicken broth
🥬
3
Garlic cloves
minced
🥬
to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
🌾
12 oz
Fettuccine pasta
dried
🍎
1/2 tsp
Lemon zest
optional, for brightness
🫒
1 tbsp
Olive oil
🥛
1 cup
Parmesan cheese
freshly grated, plus extra for serving
🌶️
to taste
Salt
🥛
1 cup
Heavy cream
Categories:🥩protein🥬vegetable🍎fruit🌾grain🥛dairy🌶️spice🫒oil💧liquid📦other
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water seasoned generously with Salt to a rolling boil; add the Fettuccine pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than the package suggests). Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water before draining to help adjust sauce consistency later.
Step 2
While the Fettuccine pasta cooks, warm the Olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the Unsalted butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams but has not browned. Add the Boneless skinless chicken breast in a single layer, season with Salt and Freshly ground black pepper, and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes to develop a light golden crust, then toss and cook another 1–2 minutes until just cooked through. Transfer the Boneless skinless chicken breast to a plate, keeping as much fond (brown bits) in the pan as possible.
Step 3
Reduce the heat to medium; add the remaining 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in the Garlic cloves and sauté for 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Immediately deglaze with the Low-sodium chicken broth, scraping up the fond with a wooden spoon, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half (roughly 1 minute).
Step 4
Pour in the Heavy cream, bring it just to a gentle simmer, and cook 2 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese in three small additions, whisking constantly so it melts smoothly and prevents clumping. If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water; aim for a nappe consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
Step 5
Return the Boneless skinless chicken breast and any collected juices to the skillet, then add the drained Fettuccine pasta. Toss vigorously using tongs for 30–45 seconds so every strand is glossy and evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional Salt and Freshly ground black pepper as needed.
Step 6
Finish the dish off heat with the Lemon zest for subtle brightness and the Fresh parsley for color and freshness. Serve immediately, offering extra Parmesan cheese tableside.
✨Chef's Tips
- ★Cutting the Boneless skinless chicken breast into uniform 1/2-inch strips ensures it cooks through in the short sear time while remaining juicy—thicker pieces will over-brown on the outside before cooking through.
- ★Adding the Parmesan cheese gradually and off a gentle simmer prevents the dairy proteins from seizing, yielding a velvety sauce instead of a grainy one.
- ★Reserve pasta water before draining; its starch not only thins a sauce that is too thick but also helps the sauce cling to the Fettuccine pasta.
- ★Warm serving bowls with hot tap water or a quick dip in the pasta water—cream sauces cool and thicken fast, and preheated plates keep the Creamy Chicken Fettuccine Delight silky to the last bite.
- ★Leftovers reheat best over low heat with a splash of Low-sodium chicken broth or Heavy cream to re-emulsify the sauce; avoid microwaving on high, which can break the dairy.
chickenfettuccinecreamyquick dinnermildunder 20 minutes