A method and structure for forming a field effect transistor with reduced contact resistance are provided. The reduced contact resistance is manifested by a reduced metal semiconductor alloy contact resistance and a reduced conductively filled via contact-to-metal semiconductor alloy contact resistance. The reduced contact resistance is achieved in this disclosure by texturing the surface of the transistor's source region and/or the transistor's drain region. Typically, both the source region and the drain region are textured in the present disclosure. The textured source region and/or the textured drain region have an increased area as compared to a conventional transistor that includes a flat source region and/or a flat drain region. A metal semiconductor alloy, e.g., a silicide, is formed on the textured surface of the source region and/or the textured surface of the drain region. A conductively filled via contact is formed atop the metal semiconductor alloy.