Healthy Chicken Alfredo is low-fat but still has great flavor and creaminess without guilt. Add the optional spices for a delicious Cajun-like change of pace you will love.
Introduction
All recipes have a story. This story starts with Red Lobster.
We were out and about and needed dinner, and we were close to many restaurants. My wife loves seafood, so I suggested Red Lobster since she is a good wife and should have seafood occasionally, and I can eat seafood or find something else (thinking cheesecake).
She had a seafood combo. I skipped the cheesecake and went with the Cajun Chicken Alfredo. Frankly, I had a delicious meal with excellent taste. Hers had no taste—I mean, really tasteless. I tried it. Maybe I have spoiled her (and me) with my cooking???
I wanted to make it up to her, so I would give her some great spicy taste the next day. It worked. She cleaned her plate—good girl.
My Rating
Almost a 5. Not quite the creaminess of the full-fat version, but you will live longer, and unless you do a side-by-side tasting, you probably won't notice.
🥣What Makes this Alfredo sauce health?
A full-fat Alfredo recipe uses heavy cream cooked to reduce the volume and thicken the sauce, then Parmesan is added. Commonly butter and garlic are also included.
Most standard Alfredo sauce recipes will have about 60 grams of fat per serving. But this healthier chicken Alfredo recipe is 15 grams per serving—much healthier.
To make this Alfredo sauce lower in fat, it is similar to Bechamel's French white sauce but uses a slurry method with flour instead of a classic roux that requires more fat.
For dairy, non-fat skim milk is used to replace heavy cream. You could use chicken broth, soy milk, or almond milk.
For more information on roux vs. slurry thickening methods, please see How to Make Gravy from Scratch.
👨🍳How to Make Healthier Chicken Alfredo
- Start the water boiling for the pasta and work on the sauce at the same time.But add the pasta (usually lettuccine or linguine) and cook when the water is boiling.
- Trimmed and cut two skinless boneless chicken breasts into cubes. You can use chicken thighs, but they will increase the fat content of the sauce.
- Season the trimmed chicken cubes with part of the seasoning mixture. Then saute in the large skillet over medium-high until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°.
- Make the sauce. You can use the pan from the chicken or a seperate pan.
- Combine the chicken and sauce. Other cooked vegetables may be added at this point.
- Serve over the cooked pasta.
❓FAQs about Chicken Alfredo
Yes, add the shredded pre-cooked chicken after the sauce is thickened. Then simmer over lower heat for 2-3 minutes to warm.
1 pound of raw chicken is about 3 cups of shredded pre-cooked chicken.
This recipe is somewhat a copycat of Red Lobsters Cajun Chicken Linguini Alfredo. While I didn't go full Cajun on the spices, you can go full Cajun with two teaspoons of Cajun spice blend to replace the other spices.
I generally make this recipe with paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper, giving it a somewhat Cajun-type taste. This is moderately spicy (4/10). Cut back or eliminate the cayenne pepper if you want.
I have included those instructions in the recipe card.
Yes, the vegetables need to be cooked and added to the sauce when thick. Broccoli florets are an excellent choice, but use any veggies you like.
You could leave the chicken out entirely if you wish to make it just healthier vegetable Alfredo.
Gluten-free pasta can be used, and you could use cornstarch to thicken the sauce instead of flour to make the dish gluten-free.
Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. Leftovers will freeze well for 3-4 months.
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🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Start with the spices. 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if not using fresh garlic. For a cajun-type taste, add ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¾ teaspoon paprika, and cayenne pepper to taste—usually ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
Trim two medium size (or one large) skinless boneless chicken breasts. Cut into ½ to ¾ inch cubes.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sprinkle with ½ of the spice mixture. Cook until browning and cooked throw and reaches 165°.—about 10 minutes. Then remove from heat and set aside in the same pan. It has some spices stuck to the bottom that we will use later.
Start pasta while cooking the chicken (½ pound). Cook according to directions and drain.
Whisk ¼ cup AP flour to 1 cup of cold milk. You may whisk in a bowl or use a Tupperware gravy shaker.
Add 1 tablespoon butter to a saucepan over medium heat. When bubbling, add two cloves of garlic—cook for about one minute.
Now slowly add the milk/flour mixture while continuously whisking. Add one more cup of milk along with ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese—fresh preferred. Add the remaining seasoning. Increase heat to medium-high while still whisking. Bring to a medium boil. In about 5-7 minutes, the mixture will thicken.
After thickening, remove from heat and add the cooked chicken to the pan. Stir well, getting all the spices off the bottom of the pan. Serve over the pasta.
📖Recipe
Healthier Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts - about 1 pound of chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder - if not using fresh garlic
- ½ pound linguine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- ¼ cup AP flour
- 2 cups nonfat milk
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese - grated
Optional spiced for a Cajun-like taste.
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon cayenne - adjust to taste
Instructions
- Start with the spices. 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if not using fresh garlic. For a cajun-type taste, add ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¾ teaspoon paprika, and cayenne pepper to taste—usually ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
- Trim two medium size (or one large) skinless boneless chicken breasts. Cut into ½ to ¾ inch cubes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sprinkle with ½ of the spice mixture. Cook until browning and cooked throw and reaches 165°.—about 10 minutes. Then remove from heat and set aside in the same pan. It has some spices stuck to the bottom that we will use later.
- Start pasta while cooking the chicken (½ pound). Cook according to directions and drain.
- Whisk ¼ cup AP flour to 1 cup of cold milk. You may whisk in a bowl or use a Tupperware gravy shaker.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter to a saucepan over medium heat. When bubbling, add two garlic cloves and cook for about one minute.
- Now slowly add the milk/flour mixture while continuously whisking. Add one more cup of milk along with ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Add the remaining seasoning. Increase heat to medium-high while still whisking. Bring to a medium boil. In about 5-7 minutes, the mixture will thicken.
- After thickening, remove from heat and add the cooked chicken to the pan. Stir well, getting all the spices off the bottom of the pan. Serve over the pasta.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- You need about 1 pound of chicken. I used breasts, but thighs would be fine.
- You may use Cajun spice mix to replace the spices. Adjust the salt if you do since most mixes have salt.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to your taste. With ½ teaspoon, the heat level is about 4/10.
- You can decrease the salt some if you want.
- Freshly grated good Parmesan cheese is a must for great taste.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally published July 22, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Dr Dan
And that KC connection also. I did several years of training in KC. We ate at Gates weekly. Did Arther Bryant's when I could take the fat. Shopped at the meat market at the old farmers market. I never knew that raw meat could be so "hot". $2 a pound for filet... Maybe we were separated at at birth.
Back to topic. I put a little cayenne in almost everything I'm doing for taste anymore. My wife is addicted to garlic and is liking a little spice now.
Also, you must get one of these Tupperware mixers. They make grave and thickening a snap.
Inspired by eRecipeCards
Doc we are connected... It's taken ten years but now my wife actually asks for jalepeno poppers and my blackened fish is her favorite. That is an interesting method for the alfredo that I need to try. i save alfredo for when I am cooking for people who prefer low spiced.
Rather have yours
Dr Dan
The camara is now fine... The wonders of internet heip sites. I ripped the thing apart and it is better than when I got it. An old Sony f717 that is great for closeups. Enough camara talk. This dish tasted even better than it looked. This will be way up on my repeat list come cold weather.
Chris
That sounds really good Dan and we love a good alfredo sauce. Hope the camera failure was only temporary.