Ingredients:

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 tbsp high-smoke point oil
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream (minimum 36% fat)
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 lb dry fettuccine pasta
  • 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup reserved starchy pasta water

Instructions:

  1. Season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Heat the oil in your skillet over medium high heat.
  3. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden and crackling.
  4. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes until opaque throughout, then remove and set aside to rest.
  5. Boil the fettuccine in highly salted water for 1 minute less than the package directions until slightly firm to the bite (al dente).
  6. While the pasta cooks, wipe the skillet of excess oil but keep the brown bits.
  7. Add the heavy cream and garlic to the skillet over medium heat, simmering for 2 minutes until tiny bubbles appear around the edges.
  8. Whisk in the cold, cubed butter one piece at a time until the sauce looks glossy and thick.
  9. Lower the heat to low and gradually whisk in the Parmigiano Reggiano and nutmeg until the cheese has completely vanished into the cream.
  10. Transfer the cooked pasta directly from the water into the sauce, adding 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
  11. Toss vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the sauce clings to the pasta like a second skin.
  12. Fold in the rested chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.