Creamy chicken fettuccine

This simple, six ingredient creamy chicken fettuccine is the ideal family-friendly weeknight meal to have up your sleeve. With a delicate flavour profile similar to a fettuccine alfredo, this version skips the butter and tops the pasta with golden, pan-fried chicken breast.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  5

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 small chicken breast fillets
• Salt and black pepper
• 300 g fresh fettuccine
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ cup (125 ml) thickened cream
• ⅔ cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
• Roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve (optional)

Resting time: 10 minutes

Instructions

1. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, season the chicken breasts well on both sides with plenty of salt and black pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes.
   
2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Once rapidly boiling, add the fettuccine and cook for 2 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water in a heatproof jug before draining the pasta.
   
3. Return the frying pan to the heat with the remaining oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir through the cream until just heated through. Drain the fettuccine, then add to the garlic cream with the reserved pasta water, grated parmesan and cook, tossing, for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
   
4. To serve, slice the chicken breast. Divide the creamy fettuccine between plates and top with the sliced chicken. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese and a little parsley, if you like!

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.