Description
A healthy low-calorie chicken Alfredo with broccoli, featuring a creamy, flavorful sauce and tender chicken. Ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for a quick meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- 8–10 ounces linguine pasta
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking chicken)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for sauce)
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 5–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente in generously salted water according to package directions. Add the broccoli to the pasta during the last minute of cooking. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook the chicken breasts for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. Slice or dice the chicken.
- In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the minced onion for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds. Gradually add in the chicken stock and milk, whisking constantly until incorporated. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Stir in the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce, tossing them to coat. Add some reserved pasta water if needed to adjust the consistency.
- Top the pasta with the cooked chicken, either tossed in the sauce or served on top. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese or fresh parsley, and serve hot.
Notes
- Salt the pasta water for better flavor.
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency if needed.
- If you prefer, you can use pre-cooked chicken to save time.
- If you don’t like broccoli, try substituting it with spinach or peas.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 496 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 370mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.01g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 66mg