Healthier Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Category: Dinner Ideas

A bit of skim milk and whole grain pasta make this chicken alfredo dish just a little lighter, while maintaining its richness of flavor.

ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth(240 mL)
  • 1 cup skim milk(240 mL), or milk of choice
  • 2 cups spinach(80 g)
  • 2 cups whole grain penne pasta(400 g), cooked
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese(30 g), optional
demo

Direction

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the chicken. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper, then cook for 5-8 minutes, or until no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
  2. In the same pan, sauté the garlic 1 minute, until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the garlic, then slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring to prevent lumps from forming.
  3. Add the skim milk, stir, and bring to a boil. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Cook until the sauce thickens.
  4. Add the spinach and stir until wilted.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cooked penne, chicken, and Parmesan, if using. Stir to combine.
  6. Serve the pasta with more Parmesan.