Crispy Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness
- oil for frying
Dredge
- ½ cup all purpose flour
Egg wash
- 3 eggs large
Breadcrumb mixture
- 1 ½ cups Italian breadcrumbs
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup Parmesan grated
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
Fettucine Alfredo
- 1 lb fettucine noodles cooked al dente
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- ¼ cup butter ½ stick
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream warmed
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk warmed
- 3 garlic cloves medium-to-large size, minced
- 1 cup Parmesan freshly grated, can also sub for Grana Padano for less tang
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. You will be using this to keep your cutlets warm and crispy after frying them.
- Fill a large pot with cold water. Salt it generously and place your pasta in it. Place it on high heat and bring it to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente. Remove 1 cup of pasta water. Set aside. Drain the pasta. Set aside.1 lb fettucine noodles, 1 cup reserved pasta water
Heat the frying oil
- In a large skillet, such as a wok, heat enough oil to submerge the cutlets to 330°F-350°F. Do not go over 350°F.oil
Prep the chicken
- On a large cutting board, lay a layer of plastic wrap that covers the entire length of the board. Place two chicken breasts down. Cover them with another layer of plastic food wrap that covers the length of the cutting board. This creates a barrier that prevents you from breaking the skin or shredding the surface when pounding the chicken. Plus, it keeps your utensils clean and free of raw chicken.4 chicken breasts
- Pound the cutlets to an even thickness so they cook evenly. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Repeat for the remaining chicken breasts.
Set up the breading stations
- Flour: Place in a shallow dish.½ cup all purpose flour
- Eggs: Beat in another shallow dish.3 eggs
- Breadcrumb mixture: Combine flour, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a separate dish.1 ½ cups Italian breadcrumbs, ½ cup all purpose flour, ½ cup Parmesan, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp black pepper
Breading process
- Dredge chicken in the flour, shaking off excess.
- Dip into the beaten eggs.
- Press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture so it sticks well.
Fry
- Fry in oil until golden brown on both sides, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove from oil and set on a wire rack in a sheet pan to drain. Place in oven to keep warm and stay crispy.
Make the Alfredo
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to make a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the flour taste. Careful not to burn.¼ cup butter, ¼ cup all purpose flour
- In a microwave-safe container, pour in milk and heavy cream. Place in microwave and heat for 60 seconds. By warming the milk mixture, you will achieve a smoother consistency. If you place cold liquids into your roux, you will shock the temperature and cause things to seize and possibly be clumpy.1 ¼ cups heavy cream, 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- Pour in the warmed milk mixture a little at a time while whisking continuously until smooth.
- Add minced garlic and cook until it begins to thicken, continuously whisking. Once it begins to thicken, immediately remove from the heat. It should be thick like a gravy.3 garlic cloves
- With the sauce off the heat, add the Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and pepper. Stir to combine until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed.1 cup Parmesan, ½ tsp garlic salt, black pepper
- At this point, the sauce should be very thick. Pour in 1/2 of the reserved pasta water and whisk until smooth. Pour in the remaining 1/2 of the pasta water and whisk until smooth.1 cup reserved pasta water
Serve
- In a large serving plate or skillet, place the pasta on the bottom. Cover it in the Alfredo sauce. Slice the chicken cutlets and lay them on top. Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley.
What do you think of this recipe?Keep scrolling for the full recipe post. Please consider Leaving a Review!You know how chicken Alfredo is usually a creamy comfort food you eat with a fork in one hand and a napkin in the other? This version is that—but with crispy, golden chicken on top, which basically turns it into the dinner equivalent of a mic drop.
It’s indulgent, it’s satisfying, and it’s got just enough textural contrast to keep you coming back for another bite. If you’ve ever wished your Alfredo had a little more crunch and a little more “wow,” this recipe is your new best friend.
You’ll learn exactly how to get that restaurant-style crust on the chicken (without deep frying), how to build a silky, clump-free Alfredo sauce, and why this dish is totally worth the extra few minutes of prep.
How to Get Super Crispy Chicken Without Overcooking It
The secret is all in the breading process and oil temperature:
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness so it cooks evenly.
- Use a three-step dredge (flour, egg, breadcrumb mix with Parmesan) and press firmly into the breadcrumbs.
- Oil at 350°F is the sweet spot—hot enough to crisp, not so hot it burns before cooking through.
- After frying, let the chicken rest on a wire rack in a warm oven. This keeps it crisp without drying it out.
If you love this style of breaded chicken, you might also like chicken parmesan.
Real Talk: Let’s Fix Your Alfredo Sauce
Alfredo has a bad rap for being too clumpy, too gloopy, or tasting like straight-up cream. But when done right? Oh, buddy.
- Start with a roux: Butter + flour cooked briefly gives the sauce body without just dumping in cheese.
- Whisk like you mean it: Add the milk and cream slowly, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
- Off-heat is your friend: Parmesan melts better without direct heat, so stir it in after you pull the sauce.
I stick to a 1:1:10 ratio for the base: equal parts butter and flour to make the roux, then ten times that amount in liquid (cream and milk). Think of it like a loose béchamel—creamy, pourable, and just thick enough to cling to noodles without turning into paste.
Want to mix things up? Try subbing in Grana Padano for a milder, nutty twist.
Does Alfredo sauce have cream cheese?
No. Cream cheese is not found in Alfredo sauce. I have tested it and it’s unnecessary. When done properly, Alfredo can be tangy and smooth without the addition of cream cheese.
Can I Make This Ahead?
Yes, with a few caveats:
- Chicken cutlets can be breaded in advance and kept chilled (unfried) for up to a day. Fry just before serving.
- Alfredo sauce can be made ahead, but it thickens as it sits. Reheat it gently over low heat with a splash of milk or pasta water.
- Pasta is best fresh, but you can toss it with a little oil if you need to cook it ahead to keep it from sticking.
If you like prepping in advance, you might love [link to “baked ziti”] or lasagna bolognese—both are great make-ahead mains.
Serving and Storing Leftovers
To serve, slice the crispy chicken and lay it on top of your sauced fettuccine. Garnish with fresh parsley and maybe a little extra grated cheese if you’re feeling fancy.
Leftovers? Store the pasta and chicken separately so the crust doesn’t get soggy. Reheat the chicken in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, and warm the pasta gently with a splash of milk to bring the sauce back to life.
And if you’re craving another comfort classic, you might want to try grilled chicken and broccoli Alfredo or cajun garlic butter shrimp alfredo.