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A bowl of Zucchini Noodle Chicken Alfredo Lightened Up, topped with chicken pieces and grated cheese.

Zucchini Noodle Chicken Alfredo Lightened Up

This recipe offers a lighter take on Chicken Alfredo, replacing traditional pasta with zucchini noodles. It provides the comfort of a creamy classic while fitting into a health-conscious diet. This dish brings familiar Italian flavors into a vegetable-forward meal.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 407
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Zucchini Noodles
  • 3 small zucchini cut lengthwise with a vegetable peeler or spiraled
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
For the Chicken and Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup unsalted grass-fed butter
  • 3/4 cup quinoa cream or organic heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 6 ounces Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Equipment

  • Colander
  • Large skillet
  • Vegetable peeler or spiralizer

Method
 

  1. Place sliced zucchini in a colander and set the colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat avocado oil to medium-high heat in a large skillet.
  3. Place chicken on a plate and sprinkle both sides with Italian seasoning, sea salt, and cayenne pepper. Add chicken to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
  4. Allow the chicken to cool, then chop it.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium and add butter to the skillet. When the butter melts, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  6. Add heavy cream and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
  7. Add garlic and Parmesan cheese and cook until the Parmesan melts.
  8. Stir in the chopped chicken, zucchini noodles, and parsley. Cook for 2 more minutes, until everything is warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 28gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 1017mgPotassium: 597mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1360IUVitamin C: 22.1mgCalcium: 385mgIron: 1.2mg

Notes

This lighter Alfredo sauce gets its creaminess from a lighter base, allowing the flavor of the fresh zucchini and Parmesan to stand out. The salt draws moisture from the zucchini, which prevents the final dish from becoming watery.

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