One of Nancy’s favorite dishes when we go to Travinia’s or other Italian restaurants is Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. Though when I eat Italian, I generally spring for a veal of some sort, her dish is a pretty yummy. Last night I decided to try my hand at a Chicken/Broccoli Fettuccini Alfredo, and it was yummy as well.
Alfredo Sauce is basically butter, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, so how can you go wrong?
The name Alfredo comes from Alfredo di Lelio of Rome, who invented the modern Alfredo sauce back in the early 1900’s. It is said that Alfredo came up with this concoction in an effort to encourage his wife to eat more after giving birth to their first child. How could she resist? It is really rich and extra tasty.
By the way, any chef who uses a can or jar of store-bought Alfredo sauce should be thrashed with their own apron strings. It is almost as easy to make your own, homemade Alfredo as it is to open the jar and heat up Newman’s Own, or another brand.
Here’s how I put together my Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo.
To serve about 4, boil a pound of fettuccini until just al dente, about 10 or 11 minutes. Slice the florets off of three broccoli crowns. Keep the florets small, with very little stem.
In a large skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter, sauté three cloves of minced garlic, then add the florets, charring on each side. Next remove the broccoli, add a little more butter and oil and brown the chicken tenderloins (I sliced them in half) about 10 minutes total, until just done.
Remove the chicken, and add 2 more T of butter, 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Cook over low heat until melted, stirring frequently.
Now add the fettuccini, broccoli, and chicken back in the skillet and simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes. Serve in a large plate with a tossed salad, a piece of two of garlic toast and – like Alfredo’s wife – you, too, will gain weight, but it’s worth it.
Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo
2 pounds chicken tenderloins
3 broccoli crowns
2 T olive oil (divided)
4 T butter (divided)
S & P
1 pound fettuccini
2 C heavy cream
1 C shredded Parmesan cheese