Chicken

• Chicken is a hearty protein that freezes well for up to three months after it's cooked. The key to enjoying tender chicken in a frozen fettucini alfredo dish is slightly undercooking the meat. Safe handling of poultry means cooking the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove chicken from the oven or skillet just when it reaches the safe zone. The inside of the thickest part of the meat should be a very pale pink. Longer cooking times can cause the chicken to become tough upon reheating.

Pasta

• Dried fettuccine noodles freeze well when combined with other ingredients in a casserole form. When frozen alone, pasta tends to get sticky and mushy when it's heated. Follow the same guidelines regarding undercooking fettuccine if you plan to make the entree in advance. Aim for al dente, or a slight firmness, when removing the pasta from the cooking water. Combine the chicken and sauce with the noodles before putting the meal in the freezer for best results. If you're working with fresh pasta, don't freeze it. Fresh pasta is more delicate than dried varieties and takes literally minutes to prepare.

Sauce

• Alfredo sauce is made from heavy cream and parmesan cheese, and thus can be tricky to use in a make-ahead meal. The ingredients freeze well on their own, but many times separate -- resulting in a greasy, lumpy sauce -- or curdle upon reheating. Homemade alfredo sauce does not work as well as store-bought versions when making chicken fettuccine in advance. Commercially prepared sauces contain stabilizers that help prevent separation of the components. If you choose to freeze an entree using homemade cream-based sauces, reheat them in a saucepan on the stovetop. This method allows you to stir frequently to bind the ingredients back together.

Storage and Reheating

• Combine hot chicken, dried cooked pasta and sauce together and let it cool before placing the mixture in an airtight container for freezing. If you're using fresh fettuccine, freeze only the chicken and alfredo portions of the meal. Freeze for up to one month. Thaw the entree in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave until hot. Prepare fresh noodles if applicable, and pour the hot sauce on top of the fettuccine. Microwave the entree in short bursts and stir the sauce as needed.