Fettuccine Alfredo Butter Parmesan (Printable)

Silky fettuccine in rich butter and Parmesan sauce, with optional tender chicken for heartiness.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz fettuccine

→ Sauce

02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced (optional)
06 - Salt, to taste
07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
08 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

→ Optional Chicken

09 - 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
11 - Salt and pepper, to season

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh chopped parsley
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How to Cook:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - If using chicken, season breasts with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté chicken 6-7 minutes per side until cooked through. Rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - Melt butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic if using and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Whisk in Parmesan gradually until sauce is smooth. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
06 - Add drained fettuccine to sauce and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water incrementally to reach desired consistency.
07 - Plate the fettuccine Alfredo. Top with sliced chicken if used, sprinkle with parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's deceptively simple but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • Dinner is ready in 30 minutes, which means more time at the table and less stress.
  • The sauce is forgiving and rewarding, teaching you how cream and cheese can become something creamy without any secrets or fussing.
02 -
  • Never let the sauce boil hard once the cheese goes in—high heat will make it split and separate, leaving you with grainy, broken sauce instead of silky magic.
  • The pasta water is your safety net; those starch molecules help the sauce coat the pasta instead of sliding off.
  • Grate your cheese fresh and never buy pre-shredded for this dish—the anti-caking agents will prevent that smooth, dreamlike texture that makes this recipe special.
03 -
  • Keep that pasta water nearby and add it sparingly—you can always add more but you can't take it back, and leftover sauce thickens as it cools.
  • Buy a microplane grater if you don't have one; it's the single best tool for fresh Parmesan and makes a visible difference in how smoothly it incorporates.
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