Ingredients
For the garlicky chicken
- 2 large chicken breasts cut lengthwise
- 3-4 tablespoon Safflower cooking oil
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 4 garlic cloves grated.
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley + some for garnish
Alfredo Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups Whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 and 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Method
To cook the chicken
- To cut chicken, lay the chicken breast flat first, then use a sharp knife to carefully cut the chicken horizontally lengthwise, creating 2 equal sized pieces.
- Preheat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add cooking oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and season it generously with salt. Brown the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until nicely browned.
- Reduce the temperature to medium. Add ½ cup chicken stock to the saucepan, then put the lid to help cook the chicken faster. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through, until the chicken is almost done.
- Add butter and the garlic. Season the chicken on both sides with paprika and black pepper and cook for further two minutes. Remove the chicken from heat and keep warm.
Alfredo Sauce
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and add garlic. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- While whisking constantly, add the chicken stock slowly. The sauce will start to thicken immediately.
- Add milk and whisk to mix then season the sauce with salt and pepper. Cook the sauce over medium heat for few minutes, until it begins to thicken. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Next, add the parmesan cheese and parsley and cook for another minute, until the cheese is completely melted.
To prepare the pasta:
- Bring a large pot filled with water and a tablespoon salt to boil and add the pasta. Cook it according to package instructions, until al dente. Drain the pasta, leaving a little bit of pasta water in the pot, and keep warm.
- For Serving
- Using tongs toss the pasta in the prepared sauce and mix until it’s well coated.
- Serve the pasta with the chicken or you may add sliced chicken breast onto each serving dish. Add additional grated parmesan cheese onto each dish and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
- To Reheat chilled pasta: place it on the stove top over medium heat. You may add ½ cup chicken stock or milk to reconstitute the sauce.
Tips
- Make sure that your Alfredo sauce has enough consistency, If it is too thin, you can add more parmesan cheese. However, add the cheese after mixing the sauce with pasta as the starch from the pasta will help thicken the sauce as you mix everything together.
- It is best to keep some pasta water when making pasta dishes. Extra pasta water can be used to thin out thicken or broken sauces.
- I suggest using a large saucepan and enough water when you cook the pasta. This is to give the noodles enough room, so they don’t stick together. Adequate water helps with dilution of starch, so it does not coat the pasta, making the texture gluey.
- It is best to mix the Alfredo sauce with pasta just before serving as the sauce will start drying up as the dish cools, and consequently, the pasta may clump together.
- I make this dish with Fettuccini but a No 5 Spaghetti or other pasta would work.
Author: Nazli Bashi, Instagram: @parionazi
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