Chicken Alfredo (A Healthy, Easy Recipe!)
A healthy recipe for a creamy chicken Alfredo that cleverly uses a cauliflower-based sauce instead of heavy cream. The velvety sauce is made by boiling cauliflower in chicken broth until tender, then blending it with sautéed shallots, garlic, and Parmesan cheese until smooth. Pan-cooked chicken breasts, seasoned with a blend of Italian herbs, are sliced and served over a bed of whole wheat fettuccine that has been tossed in the creamy cauliflower Alfredo sauce.
Ingredients
- For the Sauce & Pasta:
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3-4 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 Tablespoons butter or olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 16 ounces whole wheat fettuccine
- For the Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1-2 Tablespoons avocado oil
Instructions
- Make the Cauliflower Sauce: Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a pot. Add the cauliflower florets, cover, and simmer for 9-10 minutes until fork-tender. While it cools slightly, sauté the shallot and garlic with 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet for 2-3 minutes.
- Combine the cooked cauliflower and its broth, the sautéed shallot and garlic, and half of the seasoning mix (oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper) in a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
- Cook the Chicken and Pasta: While the cauliflower is cooking, cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Coat the chicken breasts in the remaining seasoning mix. Heat avocado oil in the same skillet used for the shallots and cook the chicken for 7-8 minutes on each side, until fully cooked. Remove the chicken and set it aside to rest before slicing.
- Combine the Alfredo: Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Pour the blended cauliflower sauce into the pan and whisk.
- Slowly add the milk and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese until smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir to coat it evenly in the sauce.
- Serve the pasta in bowls, topped with the sliced cooked chicken.
Notes
- This is a healthier, lighter version of classic chicken Alfredo, using a pureed cauliflower and broth mixture to create a creamy sauce instead of heavy cream.
- Cooking the pasta, sauce, and chicken concurrently is an efficient workflow for a weeknight dinner.
- Using a high-powered blender is the key to achieving a silky-smooth, velvety texture for the cauliflower sauce.
Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/cauliflower-chicken-alfredo/