Tag: Alfredo

LIGHT & CREAMY ALFREDO SAUCE by Gordon Ramsay

LIGHT & CREAMY ALFREDO SAUCE


Light Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta is a family favorite dinner featuring our super simple Alfredo sauce recipe! Creamy Alfredo with a fraction of the fat & calories and all the flavor!

Light Alfredo Sauce recipeLow fat alfredo sauce with your favorite pasta is a fantastic easy weeknight meal. Serve alongside some vegetables or garlic bread and you have yourself a delicious dinner everyone can enjoy. Cooking light alfredo sauce doesn’t have to be a bad thing!

What is skinny alfredo pasta?

To put it simply, it’s an alfredo sauce recipe that is made with low fat alfredo sauce. Thanks to evaporated milk instead of heavy cream, we can reduce the fat content in this recipe by over half! In a 12 oz can of evaporated milk there are 24 g of fat and 480 calories. In the same 12 oz of cream you will find 83 g of fat and 835 calories. It’s an eye-popping difference, right?

Light Alfredo Sauce recipe ingredientsCreamy Alfredo Sauce Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need-

-Butter: Using the butter we can start a roux with is the base of any great alfredo sauce.

-Flour: The flour will work as a thickener in the sauce to get it to that consistency we want without making it runny.

-Parmesan cheese: We’re going to want the green canister of grated parmesan cheese and some fresh shredded parmesan cheese to make this alfredo sauce extra delicious.

-Salt: A little bit of salt will help to bring out the flavors in this sauce and make it taste great.

How to make Low Fat Alfredo Sauce

-Garlic: alfredo sauce and garlic are a match made in heaven. Garlic adds a great flavor that pairs well with the cheese

-Evaporated Milk: We only need a can of evaporated milk, but it’s enough to make this sauce creamy and complete.

-Pasta: You’re welcome to use what you’d like! Lately I’ve discovered Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta. It’s amazing- tastes just like regular pasta! You’ll want to cook the pasta according to package directions.

Melt your butter in a saucepan and then add in the flour, grated parmesan cheese, salt, and garlic. Cook on medium to medium high heat until it’s bubbly.

Whisk in the evaporated milk until the liquid begins to thicken and then add in the shredded parmesan cheese and continue whisking until the cheese has melted.

Serve over cooked pasta.

Can you Make Light Alfredo Sauce Ahead?

This sauce is amazing! I love making a double batch and storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for dinners later on. It’s a great recipe to make ahead!

Light Alfredo Sauce recipeCan you Freeze Alfredo Sauce?

Yes, Homemade Alfredo Sauce freezes beautifully. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months. Defrost it in the fridge then heat on the stove or in the microwave, adding 1-2 TBSP if water or milk to return it to optimal creaminess.

low fat Alfredo Sauce

Skinny Alfredo Pasta

Light Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta is a family favorite dinner featuring our super simple Alfredo sauce recipe! Creamy Alfredo with a fraction of the fat & calories and all the flavor!

Print Pin Rate

Course: dinner, Main Dish, pasta

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Low Fat Alfredo Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 136kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp flour
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2/4 tsp garlic
  • 1 12oz can evaporated milk
  • 5 oz shredded Parmesan about 1.5 cups
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup of the water, as well as the flour, grated Parmesan, salt, and garlic.

  • Cook about 1 minute until thickened & bubbly.

  • Whisk in the can of evaporated milk and stir continuously until it starts to thicken.

  • Add the shredded Parmesan and whisk until melted and sauce is smooth.

  • If sauce is too thick, add remaining 1/4 cup water. Serve over pasta and enjoy, topped with fresh parsley & additional Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 22mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 317IU | Calcium: 298mg | Iron: 1mg

Light Alfredo Sauce recipe

How to use skinny alfredo sauce

You can use this sauce over pasta, I personally enjoy it over penne or farfalle and it makes enough to cover at least 5 servings worth. Adding grilled chicken is also a great way to stretch it and add protein. Alternatively, this sauce works great as a white sauce on pizza, so it can be very versatile.

What if I don’t have shredded parmesan cheese?

I’ve personally used Italian blend cheese when I was in a pinch and it was pretty good. You can do the same.

Light Alfredo Sauce recipeNeed more pasta-packed recipes? Check these out!

Light Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta is a family favorite dinner featuring our super simple Alfredo sauce recipe! Creamy Alfredo with a fraction of the fat & calories and all the flavor!

This delicious and healthier version of alfredo pasta allows your family to enjoy a favorite more often! Light Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta is a family favorite dinner featuring our super simple Alfredo sauce recipe! Creamy Alfredo with a fraction of the fat & calories and all the flavor!

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MEXICAN CHICKEN ALFREDO PASTA BAKE by Gordon Ramsay

MEXICAN CHICKEN ALFREDO PASTA BAKE


Mexican Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake is a quick and easy dinner recipe that adds a southwestern twist to chicken alfredo. This baked alfredo recipe includes chicken, alfredo sauce, salsa, taco seasoning and lots of cheese!

Mexican Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake is a quick and easy dinner recipe that adds a southwestern twist to chicken alfredo. This baked alfredo recipe includes alfredo sauce, salsa, taco seasoning and lots of cheese! 

Mexican Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake is one of our go-to dinner recipes. We all love regular chicken alfredo, but sometimes it’s fun to change it up a little bit. Just adding salsa and taco seasoning to the alfredo sauce for the most amazing flavor. And of course, the more cheese, the better. The recipe calls for grated parmesan and cheddar, but you can use a Mexican blend or any combination of cheese that you like best.

Baked chicken alfredo recipe

The recipe can be made in a 9X13 dish for a large family, or can be divided in half so that you can eat half now and save the other half to freeze for later! Or you can freeze all of it – this is a great freezer meal! I’ve included tips below on freezing this dish to enjoy later.

Ingredients in southwestern chicken alfredo pasta bake

Ingredients in Mexican Chicken Alfredo Bake

Pasta – I usually use rotini in this recipe, but you could use penne, ziti, rigatoni, elbows…pretty much any type of bite-sized pasta would work great!

Chicken – You will need about 2 lbs of chicken breasts for this recipe. The recipe gives directions for cubing and then cooking the chicken with chopped onion, salt and pepper, but if you already have shredded chicken in your freezer, you can definitely use that. I love using rotisserie chicken in recipes so I’ve used that many times in this recipe and it works so well and saves some time too!

Alfredo sauce – The recipe requires two (16 oz) jars of alfredo sauce. You can also use the refrigerated variety if you prefer, or even your favorite homemade alfredo sauce if if you’d like.

Adding alfredo sauce to the pasta

Cheese – The original recipe calls for grated Parmesan cheese and cheddar or Colby Jack as well. You can use the jarred Parmesan but freshly grated Parmesan is even better! The Parmesan adds a deeper flavor to the alfredo sauce, but if you want less of the alfredo taste, you can swap out the parmesan for more cheddar. Half of the cheddar or Colby Jack should be reserved to sprinkle on the top right before baking.

Adding cheese to the baked pasta recipe

 

Salsa – Medium salsa works great, but you can use mild or hot depending on your tastes.

Taco seasoning – Use at least a tablespoon for flavor, and up to 2 tablespoons if you want a little bit more of a kick.

Baked chicken alfredo pasta

How to make Baked Mexican Chicken Alfredo

Cook the pasta according to package directions and then set aside after draining and rinsing with cold water.

In a large skillet, cook onion, chicken, salt and pepper over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink.

Add the alfredo sauce and heat until boiling, then add the cheese, salsa and taco seasoning.

Add the cooked pasta and then divide mixture between two greased 8-inch square pans. If you need to serve a lot of people, you can put the pasta in a 9X13 and bake the whole thing at once, but I prefer to split it up and freeze one of the pans to bake another night.

If you would like more cheese, add a sprinkle of cheddar or Colby Jack cheese on top before covering with foil. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Step by step instructions on how to make chicken alfredo pasta bake

MEXICAN CHICKEN ALFREDO PASTA

Mexican Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake is a quick and easy dinner recipe that adds a southwestern twist to chicken alfredo. This baked alfredo recipe includes alfredo sauce, salsa, taco seasoning and lots of cheese! 

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian, Mexican

Keyword: mexican chicken alfredo pasta bake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 8

Author: Butter With A Side of Bread

Ingredients

  • 16 oz rotini pasta
  • 2 pounds chicken breast cubed
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 16 oz jars alfredo sauce
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese, divided mix 1/2 cup in the recipe and then reserve 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top right before baking
  • 1 cup medium salsa
  • 1-2 Tbsp taco seasoning I used 2 and it was a little spicy so use less if desired

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions and then set aside after draining and rinsing with cold water.

  • In a large skillet, cook onion, chicken, salt and pepper over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink.

  • Add the alfredo sauce and heat until boiling, then add the cheeses, salsa and taco seasoning.

  • Add the cooked pasta and then divide mixture between two greased 8-inch square pans. If you would like more cheese, add a sprinkle of cheddar or Colby Jack on top before covering the pans with foil.

  • Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Baked chicken alfredo recipe

Can I freeze this pasta bake recipe?

Absolutely! Pasta is one of my favorite things to freeze because it holds up so well in the freezing process. You can bake the pasta before freezing and then essentially just heat it up later, but I prefer to freeze the pasta bake before baking.

Serving of pasta baked with salsa and alfredo sauce

Freezer Tips

This recipe can easily be divided into two 8X8 pans. One to eat now, and one to freeze for later!

  • You can freeze the pasta before baking or after. I prefer to freeze before baking, but either way will work.
  • To freeze the pasta, assemble the dish completely (just don’t bake it yet!) and then let the sauce cool down. Once it is completely cooled, cover the pan tightly with foil. If you will be freezing for more than a couple of weeks, you may want to double up on the foil to prevent freezer burn.
  • When you are ready to bake, remove the dish from the freezer. Leave the foil on and set on the counter while preheating oven to 350°. Bake for about 45 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes. The pasta should be bubbly and the cheese on top should be completely melted.

Chicken alfredo pasta with a southwestern twist

Love Easy Chicken recipes? Try these other delicious dishes a try:

Mexican Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake is a quick and easy dinner recipe that adds a southwestern twist to chicken alfredo. This baked alfredo recipe includes alfredo sauce, salsa, taco seasoning and lots of cheese! 

Mexican Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake is a quick and easy dinner recipe that adds a southwestern twist to chicken alfredo. This baked alfredo recipe includes chicken, alfredo sauce, salsa, taco seasoning and lots of cheese! Nellie-signature1

Mexican Chicken Alfredo Pasta - Butter With A Side of Bread

Lower Fat Spicy Chicken Alfredo by Gordon Ramsay


Moderately spicy, creamy, and rich, this Chicken Alfredo is my low-fat take on this classic Italian dish. Just follow these step by step photo instructions.
Spicy Chicken Alfredo on white plate


Editor’s Note: Originally published July 22, 2011. Updated with clarified updated instructions and updated photos.

All recipes have a story. Jump down to under “My Rating” if you want to skip my rambling.

This story starts at Red Lobster. We were out and about and needed dinner. We were close to a lot of restaurants, but my wife loves seafood, but I’m from Iowa and as a rule, if it doesn’t moo, oink or cluck you don’t eat or cook it.

But I suggested Red Lobster since she is a good wife and should have seafood occasionally and I can eat seafood or find something else (thinking cheesecake maybe).

She had a seafood combo, and I skipped the cheesecake and went with the Cajun Chicken Alfredo. Frankly, I had a very good meal with great taste, and hers had no taste. I mean, really tasteless. I tried it. Maybe I have spoiled her (and me) with my cooking???

I wanted to make it up to her so the next day though I would give her some great spicy taste. It worked, she cleaned her plate. Good Girl.

My Rating:
My rating system of a 4 out of 5 so very nice.


Almost a 5. Not quite the creaminess of the full-fat version but you will live longer, and unless you do a side by side tasting, you probably won’t notice.

Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Lower Fat Spicy Chicken Alfredo

The Fat

Most similar recipes will run well above 60 grams of fat per serving. This is less than 15 grams for a serving.

I have a hard time dealing with recipes that start with a large amount of butter or heavy cream. I call it a Paula Deen aversion (but I do love watching her cook).

The Spicing

I went to my low-fat chicken Alfredo and spiced it up with what I call Cajun spicing. This is a moderately spicy (4/10). Cut back or eliminate the cayenne pepper if you want.

The Cheese

I love to use freshly grated very good parmesan cheese. So much taste in there. If you’re not a major parmesan person, cut the parmesan in half.

Other Italian Casseroles You May Like

Spaghetti Pie

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

Chicken Baked Ziti

30 Minute Spicy Sausage Pasta

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five spice use in the recipe

Start with the spices. 3/4 teaspoon each of black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika mix well. You may decrease the cayenne if you want.

cutting up chicken on white board

Trim two medium size (or one giant) skinless boneless chicken breast. Cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes.

browing chicken in skillet

In a large fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Cook until browning and cooked throw. About 10 minutes. Then remove from heat and set aside in the same pan. It has some spices stuck to the bottom that we will use later.

Cook pasta

Start pasta now (1/2 pound) and cook according to directions.

tupperware shaker

Whisk 1/4 cup AP flour to 1 cup of cold milk. You may whisk or use Tupperware gravy shaker.

starting rou in sauce pan

Add 1 tablespoon butter to a saucepan over medium heat when bubbling, add two cloves of garlic. Cook for about one minute.

whisk in flour and milk

Substitute Image

Now slowly add the milk/flour mixture while continuously whisking. Add one more cup of milk along with 1/2 to 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add the remaining seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt. Increase heat to medium-high while still whisking. Bring to a medium boil. In about 6-7 minutes, the mixture will thicken.

adding sauce to chicken

 

After thickened, remove from heat and add to the pan with the chicken. Mix well getting all the spices off the bottom of the pan. Serve over the pasta.

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Lower Fat Spicy Chicken Alfredo

Moderately spicy, creamy, and rich, this Chicken Alfredo is my low-fat take on this classic Italian dish. Just follow these step by step photo instructions.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

Course : Main Course

Cuisine : Italian

Keyword : Chicken Alfredo, Low Fat Alfredo

Servings/Adjust Amount: 6

6

Ingredients

  • 2 skinless boneless chicken breastsmedium
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenneadjust to taste
  • 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 pound linguine
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup AP flour
  • 2 cups nonfat milk
  • 1/2 to 1 cup Parmesan cheesegrated
  • 1 teaspoon saltmay decrease if you want

Instructions

  • Start with the spices. 3/4 teaspoon each of black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika mix well. You may decrease the cayenne if you want.

  • Trim two medium size (or one giant) skinless boneless chicken breast. Cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes.

  • In a large fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Cook until browning and cooked throw. About 10 minutes. Then remove from heat and set aside in the same pan. It has some spices stuck to the bottom that we will use later.

  • Start pasta now (1/2 pound) and cook according to directions.

  • Whisk 1/4 cup AP flour to 1 cup of cold milk. You may whisk or use Tupperware gravy shaker.

  • Add 1 tablespoon butter to a saucepan over medium heat when bubbling, add two cloves of garlic. Cook for about one minute.

  • Now slowly add the milk/flour mixture while continuously whisking. Add one more cup of milk along with 1/2 to 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add the remaining seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt. Increase heat to medium-high while still whisking. Bring to a medium boil. In about 6-7 minutes, the mixture will thicken.

  • After thickened, remove from heat and add to the pan with the chicken. Mix well getting all the spices off the bottom of the pan. Serve over the pasta.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips:

  1. You need about 1 pound of chicken. I used breasts, but thighs would be fine.
  2. Adjust the cayenne pepper to your taste. With 3/4 teaspoon, the heat level is about 4/10.
  3. You can decrease the salt some if you want.
  4. Freshly grated good Parmesan cheese is a must for great taste.
  5. Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.

Nutrition Facts

Lower Fat Spicy Chicken Alfredo

Amount Per Serving

Calories 361 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 13g 20%

Saturated Fat 6g 30%

Cholesterol 48mg 16%

Sodium 906mg 38%

Potassium 374mg 11%

Total Carbohydrates 36g 12%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 6g

Protein 25g 50%

Vitamin A 13.2%

Vitamin C 1.2%

Calcium 41%

Iron 5.5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.

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Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.

All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

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If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.

Originally Published July 22, 2011
Jake in Jaguar

This is Jake, our old Golden in his Dogoggles. He loved to cruise and had lots of pictures taken. Taken the day this recipe was originally published.

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