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1
Start heating the pasta water over high heat.
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2
Dont add salt or oil.
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3
Prep first: bring out a large saucepan (large enough to hold both sauce and pasta), slice off 2 Tablespoons of butter, open your box of pasta and carton of cream, and slice the chicken into bite-sized chunks.
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4
Measure out a 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese and warm the frozen peas in hot water to thaw (disregard if using fresh).
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5
This way everything finishes at once.
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6
Once your pot of water is at a rolling boil, add the dried fettucine and swirl to fully immerse.
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7
Set your kitchen/oven/microwave timer for 13 minutes and cook the noodles until the timer beeps.
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8
Over medium heat, melt the butter in your saucepan till sizzling.
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9
Add the full pint of cream and simmer (small bubbles every 1-2 seconds).
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10
Once it starts simmering, sprinkle the 1 teaspoon of salt evenly over cream, stir, and simmer again for 2 minutes to allow salt to melt.
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11
Add the black pepper and all of the sliced chicken, stir, and continue simmering for another 3 minutes.
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12
Stir occasionally.
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13
Check the kitchen timer you should have around 5 minutes left till the pasta is done.
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14
Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of parmesan evenly into the saucepan, stir to mix thoroughly, and turn off heat.
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15
Add the peas to the sauce.
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16
When the 13 minutes are up, reserve 1/2 cup of the hot water and drain the rest off through a colander (jiggle to completely drain the fettucine).
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17
Give the sauce a good stir and then immediately pour the hot pasta into the sauce.
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18
Turn and stir the fettucine well to coat all the noodles completely.
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19
The sauce will get thicker and richer as you continue to turn the pasta (tongs are great for this).
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20
If it looks too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved hot pasta water, and keep turning pasta completely to mix it all in.
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21
Serve immediately, with extra parmesan on the side.
