Healthy Chicken and Zucchini Alfredo


Let me start out by saying that this Alfredo has absolutely no heavy cream, no half and half and virtually no fat. That's right I said it folks, this is not the heavy weigh you down, make you feel guilty Alfredo that you get in restaurants. However, the taste will fool you and make you feel like you have stepped out of your kitchen and accidentally sat down at an Italian restaurant. I got this recipe from my good friend Kaylie over at Cafe Groenhout . When she posted this a couple of months ago I couldn't believe that there was no cream. I was always led to believe that for Alfredo it has to be the good tasting but bad for you heavy cream which is why I always bought Alfredo sauce from the grocery store because I didn't want to know what was really in it. Not with this sauce though, you can really cut calories with this baby.






Now I used skim milk which cut down even more calories. Instead of getting whole wheat pasta I got this vegetable mix pasta with carrot, tomato and spinach. The vegetable mix was cheaper and well I am a penny pincher so I went with the vegetable mix pasta. This is really easy to make and comes together really fast. If you can find thin chicken breasts you can use that instead of pounding out chicken but it is always nice to get your frustration out after a long day, plus I believe that it's good exercise. I already stocked my refrigerator with zucchini and broccoli for a vegetarian version of this.

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tbsp EVOO
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 zucchini, thinly sliced into half-moons
  • 4 thin boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
  • 12 oz. whole wheat fettuccine
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 C cold skim milk
  • 1/2 C evaporated nonfat milk
  • 3/4 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat 1 tbsp EVOO in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 clove garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, cover and cook until tender, stirring, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
  2. Heat another tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper and cook through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Cook the pasta in the boiling water as the label directs. Drain, reserving 1/2 C cooking water; return the pasta to the pot.
  4. Meanwhile, whisk the flour and low-fat milk in a bowl. Place the remaining 1 clove garlic and 1 tbsp oil in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, 30 seconds. Add the flour-milk mixture and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the evaporated milk, 1/2 tsp salt and the cheese; stir to melt, 1 minute.
  5. Cut the chicken into strips. Toss with the pasta, sauce, zucchini, adding the reserved pasta water to loosen.

This post is submitted in :
Presto Pasta Nights hosted by The Crispy Cook
DIY
Make It From Scratch

28 comments:

Heather said...

Thanks for stopping and by. This looks GREAT. I am going to give it whirl next time The Coach is off coaching. (He is not a fan of pasta! Silly man.)

Rachel said...

Thanks for sending a plate of this luscious pasta over to Presto Pasta Nights. I have everything I need for the roundup which should be posted this Friday. Ciao!

Debbi Does Dinner Healthy said...

This looks great! LOVE alfredo, don't love the cream. Great version, thanks!

Ruth Daniels said...

Fantastic dish - healthy and yet so decadent looking. Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Night. Hope to see you back often.

Penny Pincher said...

Yum! This does look great. I have some chicken and zucchini right now, and I think I will try to make this.

Cafe Groenhout said...

I'm glad that you've tried your craft hand at made-from-scratch alfredo ... and that you loved it as much as we did!

Allison @ Alli 'n Son said...

I love that you healthified this recipe. Sounds so good.

Gabriel said...

This recipe is simply amazing! It sounds healthier and taste delicious. I am now craving for this. I should try this one on my party nextweek. Thanks for the tips.

Stephanie Appleton said...

Can it really be good with out cream? I'll have to try. Love your veggie pasta!

Alison said...

My husband would love this! Thanks for sharing!

I found you through the Make It From Scratch carnival. I linked up for the first time today! Looking forward to finding new made from scratch recipes. I'm trying to get away from the store bought stuff.

The Food Hunter said...

I love how you made this healthy.

Joanne said...

This looks so creamy I would never know it was a healthy version! Looks delicious. The perfect comfort food!

Megan said...

I'm glad that you've tried your craft hand at made-from-scratch alfredo ... and that you loved it, thanx for posting keep it such kind of good work.

kara said...

This recipe was very tasty and certainly tasted like it was more than 18 grams of fat per serving, which is moderate for this type of recipe. Very creamy and lots of flavor. A family favorite.

Samantha said...

I have some chicken and zucchini right now, and I think I will try to make this. Thanx for posting.

Michelle said...

This recipe was very tasty and certainly tasted like it was more than 18 grams of fat per serving, which is moderate for this type of recipe. Very creamy and lots of flavor. A family favorite.

Kristen said...

Well, I linked up for the first time today! Looking forward to finding new made from scratch recipes. I'm trying to get away from the store bought stuff. thanx for posting.

Victoria said...

I just Looking forward to finding new made from scratch recipes. I'm trying to get away from the store bought stuff. thanx for posting.

Lynn said...

I do enjoy learning your recipe and I love reading your blog post.Thank very much for sharing your blog

Diane said...

Hmm, I linked up for the first time today! Looking forward to finding new made from scratch recipes. I'm trying to get away from the store bought stuff. thanx for the post.

Jane said...

Well, Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Night. Hope to see you back often. keepp hard working.

Katie said...

This post made me hungry. I like what you have posted there. The recipe looks very yummy. I am so excited to try this one. Cool.

Kayla said...

Excellent recipe. Simple, quick and delicious. The sauce was so creamy and had just the most wonderful flavor. I only adjusted by using a garlic herb cream cheee rather than plain. Just delicious.

Jillian said...

I'm going to try going "raw" for 30 days and I'm eager to try all the great recipes but I don't see how long I can keep the dishes I make before they spoil. Anyone knows? For instance, I'm making Fettucini Alfredo with Zucchini and Squash noodles.

Christy said...

Wow, I should try this one on my party nextweek. Thanks for the tips, thanx for the wonderful post.

Brittany said...

This is a great recipe that you can adjust to your own tastes. Thanks for the share!

Anonymous said...

This dish is super easy and delicious, too. Thanks for the share!

Allison Clark said...

Fantastic dish - healthy and yet so decadent looking. Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Night. Hope to see you back often.