Description
This Easy Healthy Chicken Alfredo recipe offers a lighter twist on the classic creamy pasta dish by using Greek yogurt in the sauce instead of heavy cream. Packed with tender chicken breasts, flavorful garlic and herbs, and topped with Parmesan cheese, it’s a perfect weeknight meal that’s both nutritious and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 500 g / 1 lb chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 fresh garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 cup chicken stock / chicken broth
- 2 cups Greek yogurt
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (+ extra for serving)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Pasta
- 500 g / 1 lb pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally. Drizzle with olive oil and season evenly with garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken breasts for 3-5 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Make the Alfredo sauce: In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits (fond).
- Temper the yogurt: Bring the stock to a simmer. Take a few spoonfuls of hot stock and stir them into the Greek yogurt to temper it and prevent curdling.
- Combine sauce ingredients: Slowly pour the tempered yogurt into the pan with the simmering stock. Stir and allow it to come to a gentle simmer, then turn off the heat. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper to taste, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Toss pasta and sauce: Return the drained pasta to the pot or a serving bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the Alfredo sauce to loosen it if necessary, then pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to combine.
- Combine chicken and serve: Slice or chop the cooked chicken and add it to the sauced pasta. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley or chives and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Using Greek yogurt in place of heavy cream makes this Alfredo sauce lighter and higher in protein.
- Tempering the yogurt with hot chicken stock prevents the sauce from curdling during cooking.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency and help it cling to the pasta perfectly.
- For added flavor, fresh herbs like parsley or chives make a great garnish.
- Make sure to cook the chicken fully but avoid overcooking to keep it juicy and tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 566 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 481 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 47 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
