Moderately spicy, creamy, rich Parmesan Chicken Alfredo. My healthy take on this classic Italian dish.
All recipes have a story, and this one starts at Red Lobster. We were out and about last week and needed dinner. We were close to a lot of restaurants, but my wife loves seafood but I’m from Iowa and as a rule, if it doesn’t moo, oink or cluck you don’t eat or cook it. But 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 maybe).
She had a seafood combo, and I skipped the cheesecake and went with the Cajun Chicken Alfredo. Frankly, I had a good meal with great taste, and her’s 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 the next day though I would give her some great spicy taste. It worked, she cleaned her plate. Good Girl.
I have a hard time dealing with recipes that start with a large amount of butter. I call it a Paula Deen aversion (I do love watching her cook). I went to my low-fat chicken Alfredo and spiced it up with what I call Cajun spicing.
Rating:
Almost a 5.
This is a moderately spicy (4/10) very parmesan tasting sauce. If you’re not a major parmesan person, cut the parmesan in half.
Notes: I generally have pictures all the way through. But I suffered camera failure in the middle of cooking at “a point of no return”. I have substituted some pictures from a previous post.
Start with the spices. 3/4 t each of black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix well.
Trim two medium size (or one giant) skinless boneless chicken breast. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
Heat 1 T olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp of the spice mixture. Cook until browning and cooked throw. 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.
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Start heating your water for the pasta (linguine was my choice). You will start cooking that in a few minutes. Add 1/4 cup AP flour to 1 cup of cold milk in a Tupperware gravy shaker. You could whisk together if you don’t have the shaker.
Start pasta now (1/2 pound) and cook according to directions. Add 1 T butter to a sauce pan over medium heat when bubbling, add two cloves of garlic. Cook for about one minute.
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| Substitute picture #2 |
Now slowly add the milk/flour mixture while continuously whisking. Add one more cup of milk along with 1/2 to 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add 2 t of seasoning and 1 t salt. Increase heat to medium-high while still whisking. Bring to a medium boil. In about 6-7 minutes the mixture will thicken.
After thickened, remove from heat and add to the pan with the chicken. Mix well getting all the spices off the bottom of the pan. Serve over the pasta.
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts medium
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 pound linguine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup AP flour
- 2 cups nonfat milk
- 1/2 to 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Start with the spices. 3/4 t each of black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix well.
- Trim two medium size (or one giant) skinless boneless chicken breast. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes
- Heat 1 T olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp of the spice mixture. Cook until browning and cooked throw. 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 heating your water for the pasta (linguine was my choice). You will start cooking that in a few minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup AP flour to 1 cup of cold milk in a Tupperware gravy shaker. You could whisk together if you don't have the shaker.
- Start pasta (1/2 lb) now and cook according to directions. Add 1 T butter to a sauce pan 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 1/2 to 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add 2 t of seasoning and 1 t salt. Increase heat to medium-high while still whisking. Bring to a medium boil. In about 6-7 minutes the mixture will thicken.
- After thickened, remove from heat and add to the pan with the chicken. Mix well getting all the spices off the bottom of the pan. Serve over the pasta.
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All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated. Rating is done by clicking on the stars above.
Last Updated
July 9, 2016
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.