395 Calorie Chicken Alfredo
Chicken Alfredo fits into a calorie deficit more easily than you would think. A sauce of light cream cheese, milk and Parmesan coats the pasta like the restaurant version, and each bowl comes out near 395 calories with 29 grams of protein, which helps when you are losing weight.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and brands.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 29 g of protein per bowl from plain chicken breast.
- Creamy sauce from light cream cheese, milk and Parmesan, with no heavy cream and no butter.
- A full 60 g (2.1 oz) of dry fettuccine per person, so the bowl is generous.
- One skillet for the chicken and the sauce, about 30 minutes in total.
Ingredients
- 8½ oz (240 g) fettuccine
- 10 oz (280 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1½ oz (40 g) light cream cheese, about 3 tablespoons
- ⅓ cup (30 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (200 ml) 1% milk
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper
How to Make It
- Cook the fettuccine in salted water until al dente. Scoop out ½ cup (120 ml) of pasta water, then drain.
- Season the chicken with half of the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until golden and cooked through. Move it to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the milk, add the cream cheese and whisk for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cream cheese melts and the milk is steaming. Do not let it boil.
- Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the Parmesan until it melts. Thin the sauce with pasta water, a spoonful at a time, until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Add the fettuccine and chicken, toss for 1 minute and serve right away.
Lose weight. Keep the pizza.
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See What’s Inside →Illustrative image. Individual results may vary.
Tips & Substitutions
Keep the heat gentle. Milk that boils can split. Stop when it is steaming and whisk the whole time.
Do not worry if the sauce looks thin. It thickens as you toss it with the pasta, and the starch from the pasta water helps it cling.
Cut the chicken small. Small pieces cook fast and end up in every forkful.
No light cream cheese? Regular cream cheese works and adds about 15 calories per serving.
How to Make It More Filling
Add 1½ cups (150 g) of broccoli florets to the pasta water for the last 3 minutes of cooking and stir them in with the chicken. That adds about 15 calories per serving and a lot of volume.
Storage
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring until the sauce loosens. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce separates.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese?
Yes, but stir it in after the pan is off the heat, because hot yogurt splits. The sauce will taste a bit tangier.
Why is my sauce thinner than at a restaurant?
Restaurant Alfredo uses heavy cream and butter. This lighter version is thinner at first but clings once it is tossed with the pasta.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. Penne, rigatoni or bowties all work with the same 8½ oz (240 g).
Can I make it ahead?
It tastes best fresh. You can cook the chicken and pasta a few hours earlier, store them separately and make the sauce just before serving.
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Bye Weight is a weight loss community. No gym, no strict diet, no guilt. Just short lessons and simple walks.
See What’s Inside →Illustrative image. Individual results may vary.
