Protein Veggie Zucchini Noodle Chicken Alfredo (Printable Version)
Creamy Alfredo sauce with tender chicken and fresh vegetables over spiralized zucchini noodles for a light, satisfying meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), cut into strips
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
03 - 1 cup broccoli florets
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
09 - 1 cup light cream (or half-and-half)
10 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1/4 cup low-fat cream cheese
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving
# Method:
01 - Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add the broccoli and red bell pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes until just tender.
04 - Lower the heat to medium-low. Pour in the light cream and stir in the cream cheese until melted and smooth.
05 - Add the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until the sauce is creamy. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Gently fold in the zucchini noodles and baby spinach. Cook for 2–3 minutes, tossing until the noodles are just tender and the spinach is wilted (do not overcook or the noodles will become soggy).
07 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss everything together until well combined and heated through. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan.
# Chef's Tips:
01 -
- You get that rich, velvety Alfredo experience without the heavy pasta crash afterward
- Packing in 36 grams of protein per serving means you stay satisfied for hours
02 -
- Overcooking zucchini noodles turns them into watery mush, so keep the final cook time to just 2 or 3 minutes
- The sauce continues thickening as it stands off the heat, so resist the urge to reduce it too much in the pan
03 -
- Salt your chicken generously before cooking, it needs more seasoning than you think to stand up to the rich sauce
- Room temperature cream cheese melts smoothly and prevents those annoying little lumps in your sauce