Chicken Alfredo

Summary

• Source: Emeril Lagasse, The Essence of Emeril
• Genre: Italian
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size cubes
• 8 ounces dried fettucine pasta
• 6 tbsp (3/4 of a stick) unsalted butter (can and most times should be reduced!)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2 cups half-n-half (original recipe called for heavy cream)
• 2 tbsp Italian seasonings (optional)
• 1-2 cups finely-grated Parmesan cheese (original recipe called for Parmesan-Reggiano; any supermarket brand grated Parmesan is entirely acceptable)
• 4-6 cups cooked vegetables (suggestions: broccoli, carrots, bell peppers) (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200°F.
2. Add olive oil to a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet and set on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add chicken to the skillet. Saute until meat acheives a deep golden-brown color on all surfaces. Transfer cooked chicken to an oven-safe container and cover with aluminum foil. Put container in the preheated oven to keep chicken warm.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the water that the pasta cooked in.
4. While pasta is cooking, drain any excess grease from the skillet that the chicken cooked in but do not clean. Add butter to skillet and melt under medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and saute until tender. Add dairy and Italian seasonings then bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes, making sure to frequently stir and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan. Remove from heat.
5. Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in, as well as the warm chicken, cooked vegetables, and reserved liquid. Put pot over medium-high heat. Add the butter-cream mixture and half of the Parmesan. Toss thoroughly to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately once all ingredients are heated through.