Chicken Alfredo-Healthified

Chicken Alfredo is a classic comfort food and as often as we try to be good and eat healthy let's face it...sometimes we just want a bowl of creamy pasta. I think my husband could live on meat and pasta and he loves alfredo. He has done so well to lose 25lbs and I am very proud of him. And how does he lose weight when he loves meat and carbs? His sneaky wife. That's right. I find ways to make classic recipes healthier, making him filling lunches with veggies and complex carbs (no more bacon for him!), and making him a fruit filled protein smoothie every morning.

Recently I found this recipe for Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo and tweaked it to cut some calories (but not taste!). It gives you the satisfaction of a creamy pasta dish without as much guilt. Bonus: it's quick, cheap, and makes a lot of food!

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo--Healthified!


2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken, cut into bite size pieces
Salt & Pepper
Low calorie olive oil spray, such as Pam
14 oz package of whole grain linguini*
2 cups of fresh or frozen broccoli
2 cans of low fat condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup skim milk
1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese made with 2% milk


*You can also use Ronzoni Smart Taste. In fact its preferred in my house but they don't make a linguini. Their spaghetti or penne would make a nice substitute!


1. Cook pasta according to directions. You can throw in broccoli florets during the last 4-5 minutes of cooking OR if you have a picky eater that isn't fond of veggies I reccomend steaming the broccoli and pureeing it in a food processor. Be sure to drain the pasta and if cooking broccoli separately, drain that as well.


2. While pasta is cooking, get the chicken ready. Season to taste with salt and pepper (a little garlic powder is good too! Whatever floats your boat). Spray a large pan with nonstick spray and cook chicken until cooked all the way through. Stir frequently to ensure even cooking.

3. Put linguini, soup, milk, and cheese together in a pot and stir frequently over low heat until there are no lumps in your soup. Turn off heat and toss in chicken and broccoli (if broccoli was not already in linguini) . Top with a little extra cheese when serving if you are feeling extra naughty.


Serves 8. Calories per serving (not counting any extra naughty cheese) approx. 384.