Chicken Alfredo Linguine

More Hearty Pasta

Chicken Alfredo Linguine

A Bowl of Comfort

I didn’t post any recipes last week. Not because I didn’t want to, but because my asthma flared up something shocking. It happens every year since I moved to Scotland, and it knocks me flat. I had plans to move just before lockdown, and honestly, sometimes I wonder how different things would be if I had. Back in Australia, I barely even had asthma – maybe a mild wheeze one week a year, if that. Here, though, it’s a yearly ritual. It floors me. Last week, Hubby had to take over in the kitchen because I was too achy and exhausted to do much more than flop on the couch with a hot water bottle and grumble at the weather.

That said, I did manage to whip up this Chicken Alfredo Linguine. It takes fifteen minutes from start to finish and is one of the easiest, creamiest, cosiest bowls of pasta I know. Comfort food doesn’t have to be slow-cooked or complicated. Sometimes it’s just a silky sauce, tender chicken, and twirls of linguine that make you feel a little less miserable. When I say it’s quick and easy, I mean it. And when you’re under the weather, it’s recipes like this that save you. Everything comes together fast, and you don’t need to think too much or stand over the stove for long. Perfect for those days when you can’t even muster the strength to do more than boil the kettle.

Traditional Alfredo doesn’t include cream or lemon, but I do both. The cream adds a lush richness, and the lemon just cuts through it perfectly. I know it’s not authentic, but I’m not here to be authentic. I’m here to make something delicious that doesn’t make me feel worse than I already do. This Chicken Alfredo Linguine absolutely hits the mark. It’s indulgent and soothing and just what I needed when everything else felt a little bit too hard.

Let Me Be Lazy

When you’re sick, cooking needs to be mindless. Not boring, but familiar and low effort. This pasta is exactly that. Once you know the rough rhythm of it – sauté the chicken, get the pasta going, stir through the cream and cheese – you don’t need a recipe. It’s muscle memory. Which is ideal when even texting someone back feels like too much effort. I mean, it was a toss-up between this and toast, and even I can only eat so many slices of toast before I want something warm and real.

HUsband took over most of the dinners while I coughed my lungs up in the lounge room, which is why I’ve eaten so much toast the past week. But this one? I claimed it. It was the only thing I cooked all week and I needed to make something real for myself. There’s something healing about standing at the stove and stirring a sauce that smells buttery and garlicky and a little bit lemony. Like I was doing something good for myself, even if it wasn’t the healthiest option in the world. Not everything has to be a green smoothie, okay?

I like how quickly it comes together. The chicken cooks in minutes, the sauce comes together in the time it takes the linguine to boil, and by the time you’ve plated it up, it looks and tastes like something far more effortful. That’s the kind of magic I want from food when I’m feeling like a wrung-out dishcloth. No fuss, no ceremony, just spoonfuls of creamy, lemony pasta.

Sick Days and Small Wins

I get frustrated when I’m unwell, and I don’t like being slowed down. I always try to power through, but asthma doesn’t really care about willpower. It takes what it wants –  i.e. my breath. So I’ve learned, slowly, to soften into those days, to not force myself to work or write or clean, and to just breathe (or attempt to). And to make something easy and soothing if I can. Like this Chicken Alfredo Linguine. It’s a little moment of normal, even when everything else feels fuzzy and wrong.

This dish has become my go-to when the weather turns, when my chest gets tight, and when my body says no. The lemon lifts the whole thing. I know it’s not traditional, but honestly, the hint of citrus makes the cheese and cream taste brighter and more balanced. It’s such a small change, but it transforms the whole thing. And that, I think, is the heart of comfort food. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to feel right.

So, no, I didn’t get around to writing up any new recipes last week. But I did make this. And I promise to keep sharing what I can, when I can. Even if it means fewer recipes for a little while, you’ll still find me here, bubbling away behind the scenes with something creamy and cosy on the stove.

Ingredients Breakdown

Linguine is my preferred shape here – I love how the sauce clings to it. You could use fettuccine or spaghetti, but there’s just something about linguine that feels a bit special without being fancy. Plus, I like saying it – ling-wee-neeeeee! The chicken should be tender and cooked quickly in a bit of butter and oil. I usually go for shredded chicken breast, which keeps things quick and easy, especially when you’re working with leftovers or just don’t have the energy for slicing.

The sauce is where the magic happens. I use salted butter and double cream to create that silky, luscious base. Garlic adds depth and warmth, and then a generous grating of Reggiano Parmigiano gives it that salty, nutty backbone that Alfredo really needs. Just a splash of lemon juice cuts through the richness and lifts the whole dish, and it’s such a small addition but makes a big difference. Purists may disagree, but I stand by it.

To finish, chopped flat-leaf parsley adds a touch of freshness, and a good hit of salt and pepper brings everything together. This combination makes the most unapologetically creamy and comforting sauce you could want, especially when life’s been a bit much and you just need something that feels like a hug in a bowl.