Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken
Makes 4 to 6 servings
The now almost ubiquitous Alfredo sauce was ushered into the American diet by the famous silent film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, who fell in love with the dish on their Roman honeymoon. Once at home, they served it to guests, and its popularity spread among the influencers of the time. As the story goes, its namesake Alfredo, who owned a restaurant in Rome, apparently devised the dish for his infirm wife when she needed to gain weight. When he added it to his menu, it became an instant success. Using chicken in this version is a nod to Olive Garden. Unlike Mamma Leone’s or Chef Boyardee, both small businesses originally founded by Italian Americans, Olive Garden was born in 1981 from the corporate brain trust of General Mills executives—a testament to how important the humble food of our immigrant forebears had become to the hearts and stomachs of wealthier suburbanites across the country.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound (455 g) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¾ cup (75 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 pound (455 g) fettuccine
DIRECTIONS
- Cut the chicken into strips. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the cream and garlic in a small pot, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the garlic cream to the pan with the chicken, removing the garlic cloves. Stir in the Parmesan.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the fettuccine, and cook for 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the noodles should be slightly soft with a firm chew to them. Drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Add the sauce to the noodles and stir to combine and coat the noodles. Serve with more Parmesan at the table.
PANTRY
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