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Creamy Chicken Fettuccine

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on April 22, 2013

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Creamy Chicken Fettuccine

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about ¾ pound), cut crosswise into ¼-inch stripsSalt and pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, minced1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest from 1 lemon2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon1 pound fettuccine 2 cups frozen peas 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup chopped fresh basil

Before You Begin

Either fresh or dried fettuccine can be used in this recipe.

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate.
  2. Add garlic to empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until nearly al dente. Add peas to pot and cook until bright green, about 1 minute. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, drain pasta and peas, and return to pot. Add sauce, cheese, basil, and reserved chicken to pot and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Creamy Chicken Fettuccine

Creamy Chicken Fettuccine

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about ¾ pound), cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
1 pound fettuccine
2 cups frozen peas
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about ¾ pound), cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
1 pound fettuccine
2 cups frozen peas
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about ¾ pound), cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
1 pound fettuccine
2 cups frozen peas
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Why This Recipe Works

Adding chicken transformed this traditional side dish recipe into a quick, complete meal. Though either fresh or dried pasta worked for our Creamy Chicken Fettuccine, fresh pasta is more porous than dried and better absorbed the sauce. When boiling the pasta, undercook it slightly (even shy of al dente) because the pasta cooks an additional minute or two in the sauce. Adding a little reserved pasta water toward the end of cooking helps keep the sauce stable from start to finish.

Before You Begin

Either fresh or dried fettuccine can be used in this recipe.

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate.
  2. Add garlic to empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until nearly al dente. Add peas to pot and cook until bright green, about 1 minute. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, drain pasta and peas, and return to pot. Add sauce, cheese, basil, and reserved chicken to pot and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

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