Alfredo is one of those ultimate comfort meals! The problem is, a lot of the Alfredo you eat at restaurants and find on popular blogs are VERY high in saturated fat. To give you an idea, some popular recipes can get up to 26g of saturated fat per serving. That is double the daily limit recommendation that the American Heart Association gives for an adult needing about 2,000 calories a day (aka the average adult).
This recipe still gives you that creamy, rich, comfort food flavor with A LOT less saturated fat! I think it’s going to be a real winner for you and your family!
Instead of heavy cream and loads of butter, I use light cream cheese to give a creamy, velvety texture. I also use white whole wheat flour to thicken up the sauce to add some easy whole grains in that aren’t even noticeable. Regardless, this sauce is pretty dang amazing!
Healthier “light” Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 2 TB Butter
- 3 tsp Minced Garlic
- 2 TB White Whole Wheat Flour
- 2.5 cups Reduced Fat Milk (1 or 2%)
- 3 oz Neuchâtel (reduced fat) cream cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
- 3 cups dry pasta, cooked according to package. instructions I prefer barilla protein plus pasta
- 1-2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded (you can also cook your own chicken in a pan too if you don't want to use rotisserie chicken)
- 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper (more to taste, if desired)
Instructions
- In medium saucepan, cook pasta according to package instructions.While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet frying pan on medium-low heat, melt butter. Then add garlic and whisk in flour. It should soak up the butter and create a dry, crumbly mixture.
- Slowly add 1 cup of the milk, while whisking. I add about 2 tablespoons at a time and then whisk. (If you add too much milk too fast, the sauce won't form and the mixture will be watery with flour lumps in it.) Keep slowly adding milk, while constantly stirring until you have added 1 cup of milk in. Next slice the cream cheese into 3 pieces and add to pan, breaking down, and whisking until it melts down and forms a smooth sauce. Slowly add the other 1.5 cups of milk to the sauce.
- Reduce heat to low, if needed, and let the sauce simmer and thicken up. Stir often to keep from burning. When the sauce thickens up and reaches the consistency you like, about 5-8 minutes, add the parmesan cheese and stir in.
- Serve immediately. Assemble by pouring sauce mixture over pasta. You can add chicken to the sauce or add it to your dish separately. Serve with steamed veggies or any other side for an extra nutrient boost!
Notes
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