The near constant dreariness around here is making me regress slightly and crave comfort foods, like the Skinny Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo I made for dinner tonight.
Seasoned chicken, steamed broccoli & tender pasta are enveloped in a light-yet-luscious alfredo sauce dreamed up by Courtney at Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life. Love that girl’s recipes!
This is the kind of meal that makes you sit back and sigh with satisfaction when you’re done. Healthy, filling, and indulgent tasting. Seriously yummy stuff!
Start by cooking 8oz short-cut pasta in salted, boiling water. Don’t forget to salt the water with at least a Tablespoon of salt – it makes all the flavor difference in the world. Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. You’ll use it in a bit.
While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add in a couple cloves of minced garlic, then cook until the garlic turns golden brown, about a minute.
When the garlic is golden brown and fragrant, whisk in 2 Tablespoons flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about another minute.
Next, slowly whisk in 1 cup chicken broth, incorporating it with the flour, then whisk in 1/4 cup milk.
Add 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt plus salt and pepper, then let the sauce bubble until slightly thick and bubbly.
Finally, stir in 3/4 cup parmesan cheese and 2 chopped, cooked chicken breasts.
Assembly time!
Add the alfredo sauce and chicken to the cooked pasta, then add in 2 cups cooked broccoli. If you’re smart, you’ll cook the broccoli in with the pasta during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time. If you’re me, you’ll forget, drain the pasta, then have to steam the broccoli in a separate pan. Blerg! At any rate, add in some of the pasta cooking water at this time if you feel the sauce is too thick, and stir everything together.
This alfredo sauce is creamy, cheesy, silky and decadent. Just like the real thing, but skinny! You could easily make this dish gluten-free by using GF pasta, too!
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Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
Description
Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo is everything you love about alfredo, but without all the fat and calories!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt & pepper then cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups cooked broccoli
- 8oz rotini
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup milk, any kind
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining. Set aside.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour then whisk to incorporate and cook for 1 additional minute.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth, then milk. Whisk in Greek yogurt, salt and pepper, then turn the heat down to low and let the mixture simmer until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off then stir in parmesan cheese, then chicken. Pour over cooked pasta then add broccoli and stir well. Add a little reserved pasta cooking water if sauce is too thick. Serve.
Notes
Barely adapted from Celebrations.com
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Although…I’m pretty sure Skinny Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo stops being so “skinny” after the second or, cough, third bowl. Worth it!
dana 08.15.2012
This was AWESOME!!! I am holding onto the recipe for the sauce, and doubling it next time. I’ve never made my own alfredo sauce before and was afraid to try… this is delicious and so much better than buying it in jars!! My man was a little grossed out about the yogurt, we don’t like it plain, but you can’t taste it at all. He gave it a “10”!
Samantha 04.15.2012
Made this tonight.. it was AMAZING! I’m be making it again and again!
I calculated it to be around 435 calories (using wheat penne pasta, skim milk, Chobani plain 0% Greek yogurt).
Thank you so much for this great recipe!
Lauren 01.06.2013
Is that for the whole recipe, or per serving??
This looks so delicious, chicken and broccoli alfredo is my ultimate comfort food right next to mac n cheese.
Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo | sugar coated 04.15.2012
[…] Barely adapted from Iowa Girl Eats […]
Ana 04.06.2012
Hey there I love chicken and broccoli Alfredo, but I am trying to eat healthier. This seems perfect, would you happen to know how many calories your version has overall?
Elizabeth 03.30.2012
Made this for dinner and added shrimp…DELISH! And sadly no leftovers :( i also love that I always have those ingreidents in my fridge and it was really easy to whip up! Def gonna make this again!
asha 03.29.2012
hello,
i LOVE LOVE your blog, i don’t know how i survived this long without it. i found it just in time too.. i had a new year resolution to make non indian food more often than not (i hail from indian ancestory ) and your blog makes it easy for me – thank you!
anyhow i have a question re: this recipe – which is yummy. can i reheat it in the oven the next day for lunch? because it has yogurt in it, will it seperate or something?
Iowa Girl Eats 04.03.2012
Nope, it reheats fine in the microwave!
Meredith 03.29.2012
This meal was amazing! Keep the recipes coming :)
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Krystle 03.27.2012
OMG! This recipe is AMAZING! I made it last night for dinner and got rave reviews. I will definitely be adding it to our dinnertime rotation. I paired it with a spinach salad for a filling dinner yet we still had plenty of left-overs. Love it!
Thanks so much!
Amanda 03.27.2012
Thanks for the recipe! My husband is hard to please with pasta-based meals, believe it or not, but he ate this one up! I used some left-over rotisserie chicken, quinoa pasta, and nonfat Greek yogurt… so deliciously satisfying… I even mixed in some honey into the remaining Greek yogurt cup and spooned that over some sliced strawbeeries that were on their last leg. Nothing went to waste in my kitchen last night! Thanks again!
Diane @ Life of Di. 03.27.2012
My husband keeps asking for a ‘white sauce’ pasta. This is a GREAT alternative to all the fatty Alfredo choices. Thanks for the idea!
Juan Navarro 03.26.2012
2 for 2! This was my second recipe from your blog and it was super easy and delicious! Even my picky kids ate it, which surprised my wife. Thanks for sharing!
Lauren 03.26.2012
This recipe sounds delicious! Do you think plain regular yogurt would work just as well as the Greek? I have a huge tub of the regular in my fridge right now and this would be a perfect way to use some of it.
Iowa Girl Eats 03.26.2012
I might try straining it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter first to get it a bit thicker!
Anna 03.26.2012
This looks good – on my list!
Rose Ann 03.24.2012
Just made this…it was great! Thank you for ANOTHER great recipe! I have been making at least one a week since finding your site. Everyone has been a hit, so thank you! I love a healthier recipe…please keep them coming! :) Rose Ann
Megan R 03.23.2012
I am definitely making this for dinner tonight. YUM!!! And I am so happy to see there are others out there totally afraid of birds. I run for cover whenever there are birds flying around. I’m such a freak! :)
Crystal Christopher 03.23.2012
How do you mince your garlic?
Crystal Christopher 03.23.2012
oh and I am deathly afraid of any and all spdiers, no matter the size :(
Iowa Girl Eats 03.23.2012
I actually stick a ton of cloves in the food processor and chop til fine and store in a mason jar in the fridge. Otherwise you can just chop them with a knife until minced!
Ashley 03.23.2012
ME TOO! Terrified of birds. I have no actual reason to be though. Whenever I go to Lowe’s or Home Depot, its like they are out to get me! AND the beach with the flocks of seagulls!!
Terrifying!
Emilie @ Emilie's Enjoyables 03.23.2012
Small bowls are MEANT for extra servings :)