Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless chicken breast, sliced in half horizontally into 2 thinner cutlets
• 1 tsp salt, plus more for the pasta water
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 350 g fettuccine (or tagliatelle)
• 50 g butter
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 300 ml fresh cream (cooking cream)
• 80 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Rub them with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and oregano, then let them sit at room temperature while you prepare everything else.
2. Grate the Parmesan, mince the garlic and chop the parsley. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well, using about 1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 litres.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes without moving it, until the underside is deep golden.
4. Flip the chicken and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and the centre reaches 74°C with no pink juices. Move it to a board and rest it for 5 minutes, then slice across the grain.
5. Drop the fettuccine into the boiling water and cook according to the packet until al dente, usually 9 to 11 minutes. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
6. While the pasta cooks, wipe out the frying pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Melt the butter, add the garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
7. Pour in the cream and add the nutmeg. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil hard.
8. Turn the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan a handful at a time until melted and smooth. Add the drained pasta and toss with tongs, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles.
9. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Divide the pasta among four warm plates, top with the sliced chicken and finish with parsley and a little extra Parmesan.

Tips

• Grate the Parmesan yourself from a block. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents and can make the sauce grainy.
• Keep the heat low when adding the cheese. High heat makes Parmesan clump and turn oily.
• Slicing the chicken breast into thinner cutlets helps it cook evenly and stay juicy.
• The starchy pasta water is what turns the sauce silky, so save it before draining and add it gradually.