Healthy and Creamy High Protein Chicken Alfredo
High Protein Chicken Alfredo is a lighter take on the traditional fettuccini alfredo that your whole family will love.
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It will leave you feeling satisfied and will be one of your new favorite pasta recipes that is macro friendly!
This recipe is a staple recipe in our home for a quick weeknight dinner and on the normal rotation list because it’s that easy and delicious!!
Chicken Alfredo is such a comfort food that we all know and love. Perfect on a cold rainy day and makes you just want to go snuggle up with a good book!
My husband is a pasta fanatic and chicken alfredo is his absolute favorite.
I was determined to find a healthier chicken alfredo recipe option to keep it family friendly but also stay within my health goals.
So this dish is for all you Mama’s out there on the healthy living lifestyle and think you have to give up pasta…..I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to 😊
As I’ve said in other recipes, it’s all about creating that balance and learning the different substitutes for recipes to meet those macro goals of yours.
Today, I’m going to show you how to make this delicious pasta dish in less than 30 minutes.
The best part is you make it in ONE PAN! Yummy meal and no dishes? Say no more.
Why you’ll love this recipe for Healthy Chicken Alfredo:
- Packed full of flavor that your family will be wanting seconds and licking their plates clean
- Takes less than 30 minutes with ONE PAN
- Packed with 35 grams of protein per serving
- You’ll be able to squeeze in veggies to your kids without any complaints, WIN!
- Completely GUILT FREE and macro friendly
Ingredients you’ll need to make Creamy High Protein Chicken Alfredo:
- Olive Oil
- Chicken breast – I dice these up. If your short on time, you can dice up ahead of time and put in a ziplock bag and seal airtight until you’re ready to use
- Minced garlic
- Milk – this is going to be in place of your traditional alfredo sauce that uses a lot of cream, don’t worry, you will still get that creamy sauce you love! Almond milk is a great substitute, because its way less calories for an entire cup. Feel free to use regular or skim milk as well if that’s what you have on hand
- Sodium free chicken broth
- Broccoli – fresh or frozen will work. Aim for fresh if you have time to cut and trim, but if your short on time frozen works just as well and I’ve used both many of times
- Penne Pasta
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Parsley – fresh parsley or parsley flakes will do the trick
Some of my recommendations or notes on this Healthy Chicken Alfredo:
Additional ways to save time:
Chicken – I mentioned earlier how you can dice the chicken up ahead of time and store in a ziplock bag until your ready to use.
You can also freeze the chicken if you decide to cut up more than a day or two in advance. Just make sure your bag is freezer friendly.
Additionally, you may also substitute and used cooked chicken such as rotisserie. Skip ahead in recipe steps to where you add the minced garlic.
Parmesan Cheese – I always will recommend freshly grated for the simple fact that it melts nicer and the taste.
HOWEVER, us Mom’s are busy!! Pre-shredded parmesan cheese will work just fine in this recipe.
Broccoli – This high protein chicken alfredo is MWAH – chef’s kiss with fresh broccoli.
If I know I am running around like a nut before dinner, I will go for the frozen option (I always keep a bag or two of frozen broccoli, because it comes in handy for quick dishes, or a quick side dish).
If you’d like to prep the fresh broccoli in advance, I recommend you blanching the broccoli.
Healthier options:
The beauty with today’s day and age is that there is always a healthier version to most things you’ll need for a recipe.
It’s really about learning how to read the nutrition labels and reading the ingredients. My rule of thumb is if I don’t know an ingredient, I will try not to buy it because chances are, our bodies don’t need it.
However, that’s not always possible, but its a good one to try and stick by!
For the penne pasta, there are many versions of this that are around the same calorie count.
If you look closer, you will see some brands have the same calories, but way different macros. I always go for the banza pasta brand because it’s made from chickpeas and has the higher protein.
How to store the leftovers
If you have leftovers, the best way to store is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Simply reheat in the microwave. This dish is delicious reheated the next day for a great high protein macro friendly lunch!
You can find this recipe and others by Yummymacrolife.com already preloaded on My Fitness Pal.
Simply seach Yummymacrolife – Healthy Chicken Alfredo
Equipment
- 1 Measuring Cup
- 1 Large Pot or Deep Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 lb. Chicken Breast Cubed
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic Heaping Tablespoon
- 16 oz. Penne Pasta Opt for Banza Brand for Higher Protein (this is the brand I used for nutrition below)
- 2 cups Original Almond Milk
- 2 cups Chicken Broth Low Sodium
- 12 oz. Frozen Broccoli OR 3 Cups of Fresh Broccoli chopped
- 1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 3/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- Parsley for Garnish
Instructions
- After trimming the excess fat, cut chicken breast into cubes. This can be done ahead of time to save time if needed. Just make sure to store in an airtight container or ziplock bag
- Use a large deep skillet, or a large pot, and heat olive oil in pan
- Add the chicken in the pan, and season with salt and pepper
- Cook the chicken for about 5-7 minutes, depending on your pan size. You are not cooking the chicken the whole way through, but cook the chicken until the chicken is browning on the outside
- Add in the minced garlic and continue to cook the chicken and minced garlic together for another 2-3 minutes
- Add in the pasta, almond milk, chicken broth, and broccoli
- Stir everything together to combine
- Cover pan and turn heat up to high and bring to a boil
- Once you bring to a boil, turn the heat down to low-medium heat, cover, and stir occasionally. You will cook for 8-10 minutes until pasta reaches al dente
- After pasta has reached al dente, warm the heavy whipping cream slightly in the microwave, it does not need to be hot, just slightly warmed (around 20 seconds will work). Pour the heavy cream into the pot
- Add in the parmesan cheese
- Stir in the cream and cheese until everything is mixed thoroughly
- Top and garnish with parsley, and ENJOY!!
Notes
Nutrition
