Healthy Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli

Why We Love This Lighter Chicken Alfredo Pasta with Broccoli

This fall, one of my top priorities was to figure out a way to add an Pasta Alfredo to my line-up of comfort food and classics makeover recipes. But, how could I make an Alfredo that didn’t break the calorie bank and still was easy and satisfying?

• Bulk it up with some seasonal vegetables: Broccoli adds low calorie volume and a veggie serving to each bowl!
• Add Lean Protein to Make it a Complete Meal: Each serving has 29 grams of protein.
• Switch to Whole-Grain Pasta: For the goodness of whole grains and additional fiber.
• Lighten the Alfredo Sauce: What I ended up doing is using a combination of flavorful chicken broth, which is low in calories, non-fat milk and only 1/4 cup half and half for 6 servings. To thicken it and make it creamy I used all-purpose flour.
• Boost the Cheesy Flavor: I went for Parmigiano Reggiano—just 1 cup for 6 servings. I boosted the cheesiness and flavor by adding in Dijon mustard and a hit of fresh thyme which have basically no calories.

The resulting Healthy Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli takes only 30 minutes start to finish, and is only 300 calories per serving!! I just love the way the sauce and garlic gets absorbed into the florets.

How To Make Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli

Step 1: Boil Pasta and Broccoli

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta 3 minutes less than time according to package instructions. Add broccoli and continue cooking for the remaining 3 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

Step 2: Saute Chicken

Meanwhile, toss chicken with flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, leaving excess flour in the bowl. Cook chicken, stirring occasionally, until browned on one or two sides, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and keep warm (it will continue cooking in step 4).

Step 3: Clean Skillet

Wipe out skillet with a clean paper towel. Reduce heat to medium.

Step 4: Cook Garlic

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the skillet. Add garlic, and cook stirring until fragrant, 30 to 90 seconds. Stir in the chicken and any juice from the plate.

Step 5: Make Alfredo Sauce

Dust on the remaining flour from the bowl, and stir to combine. Add broth and stir until the flour is incorporated. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer stirring often. Stir in milk, half and half, Dijon and thyme, reduce heat to medium and return to a simmer, stirring. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick, about 4 minutes.

Step 6: Add Parmesan and Serve

Remove from heat and add 1 cup Parmesan. Stir until the sauce is smooth. Add pasta and broccoli, and stir until combined. Serve topped with additional Parmesan.

Make Ahead, Leftovers, Storage and Reheating

This is not a great make ahead meal because the sauce really dissapears into the pasta quickly. It is best served immediately. That said there are some tips for leftovers and meal prep!

• Meal Prep: Chop the broccoli and store in a ziplock bag. Chop the chicken and store in a resealable container. Mis en place the sauce ingredients if you like too. Keep everything refrigerated up to three days ahead. We suggest chopping garlic at the last minute so that it doesn’t make your fridge smell like garlic!
• Leftovers: Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container for up to four days. Keep refrigerated.
• Reheating: Heat loftovers with additional chicken broth and a splash of half and half. We find that heating in the microwave is easiest. Stir a couple times while heating it up (every 40 seconds.) It takes about 3 minutes on high, depending on your microwave. You can also re-warm it in a small non-stick skillet with additional chicken broth. Make sure the chicken alfredo is steaming hot when you reheat it.