Twisted Alfredo Pasta with Crispy Chicken

By: Alexandra Johnsson, excerpted from Simple Food 4 You

By: Alexandra Johnsson, excerpted from Simple Food 4 You

When I moved to the United States in 2010 to work as an au pair for a year, I met some new friends. During my second week, they took me to The Cheesecake Factory, where I tried fettuccine Alfredo for the very first time, and I fell in love with it. Back in Sweden, I knew I had to make it myself, and since I’ve always been a big fan of breaded chicken, I thought it would be a great addition, so I created this Alfredo recipe with a twist.

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Makes2 servings

Preparation Time10 min

Cooking Time20 min

Ingredients

Chicken
1 (8-ounce [226-g]) boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup (14 g) panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup (25 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
Pasta
6 ounces (170 g) fettuccine
4 tablespoons (55 g) salted butter (½ stick)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup (300 ml) heavy cream
1 1/2 cup (150 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the chicken on a cutting board. Use one hand to press it down while you cut horizontally all the way through the chicken to get 2 evenly thick filets (about ½ inch [1 cm]).
In a small bowl, mix the salt, garlic powder, pepper and paprika together. Spread the spice mixture all over the chicken until the spices cover both sides of the filets.
On a small plate, mix the panko and Parmesan. Place the beaten egg in a shallow bowl. Dip both chicken filets in the beaten egg, then the panko mixture. Spray both sides of the chicken with cooking spray. Place the chicken in the air fryer, and cook on 355°F [180°C] for 14 to 15 minutes (or in an oven preheated to 355°F [180°C]).
While the chicken breasts are cooking, bring a pot of salted water to boil, and cook the pasta according to box instructions.
In a medium-sized pan with high sides, place the butter, and heat over medium heat. Once the butter starts to sizzle, add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream, and allow it to heat through. Add the Parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
Toss the drained pasta with the sauce, and divide it between two plates. Add more black pepper to taste, and top each plate with 1 crispy chicken filet. Garnish with the fresh parsley.