With a rich Alfredo sauce, this velvety chicken and asparagus pasta makes sure to be a hit, and its filled with healthy veggies.
Creamy Chicken And Asparagus Pasta
Youre going to love this creamy chicken and asparagus pasta dish if youre a fan of Olive Gardens chicken Alfredo. Its chicken Alfredo plus!
Creamy Chicken And Asparagus Pasta
Recipe Overview
Creamy Chicken And Asparagus Pasta
Why youll enjoy it: This restaurant-style chicken Alfredo recipe is completely doable. Its delicious and velvety!
The length of time it takes: just under an hourEquipment youll need: large skilletServings: 4
Creamy Chicken And Asparagus Pasta
In this dish, youll still enjoy an Alfredo sauce thats made with cream and Parmesan cheese. Still, one serving of homemade chicken Alfredo has less than half the calories of the dining establishment version, not even a third of the fat, and way less salt.
We can do better than that! Home cooks, you can do it! Healthier consuming starts in the house. And it doesnt have to be all quinoa, kale, and tofu (not that I have anything versus any among those).
According to Fast Food Nutrition, one serving of Olive Gardens chicken Alfredo consists of 1480 calories, 94 grams of fat, 95 grams carbs, and 1480 mg of salt. And it does not include any veggies, just pasta, sauce, and chicken.
Im always lured by pasta dishes topped with velvety sauces when I go to dining establishments. Probably most of us are. The kicker is that they are usually off the charts when it pertains to calories and fat.
With tender chicken, salty bits of pancetta, earthy mushrooms, crisp emerald green asparagus, and pasta, all smothered in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce, theres absolutely nothing not to like about this recipe.
About This Recipe
I hope youre still with me after that little rant. This recipe takes a little bit of effort and time but its completely worth it. Youll require about an hour to prepare it. Its practically an all-in-one meal, with meat, pasta, and veggies, so you will not require to include much in the way of side dishes.
The pancetta and chicken take their turn in the pan, then they sit out for a bit of time. The veggies enter beside prepare, then the sauce active ingredients, and then the meat is added back in. The prepared pasta is stirred in last.
Youll wish to have everything prepped prior to you turn the range on. Things move along pretty quickly and youll be grateful you had everything prepared as soon as you start cooking.
Lets run through the dish here and I can offer you some additional pointers. The recipe card lies near completion of the post. Youll find measurements, directions, and nutrition information there.
Although the pasta cooks in a different pot, the remainder of the cooking takes location in one big frying pan. I like to use my huge straight-sided skillet for this kind of meal.
What Youll Need
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Youll require about a pound of chicken. It seasons the chicken and the cornstarch aids in browning the chicken, sealing in the juices and giving it a crisp exterior. Chicken broth can be substituted if you prefer.Heavy Cream: Just a half cup of cream offers a creamy texture to the sauce.Parmesan Cheese: This dry salty cheese adds richness, creaminess, and flavor to the sauce.Fresh Basil: Theres really absolutely nothing quite like fresh basil.
How To Make It
Include more of the rendered fat from the pancetta if the skillet looks pretty dry. Heat the frying pan over medium heat, and cook the shallots and mushrooms, seasoning them with a little bit of salt and pepper, until the mushrooms are browned and the shallots are softened.
The chicken needs to be cut into bite size pieces. Toss the chicken pieces with the cornstarch and flavoring mix till they are well-coated; set the chicken aside in the meantime.
Add the minced garlic, and cook it, stirring constantly until it launches a fantastic garlicky fragrance.
In a big frying pan (I like the straight-sided skillets for a dish like this), prepare the pancetta. Like bacon, pancetta is not cooked.
Reserve a half cup of the cooking water prior to you drain pipes the pasta. Youll be needing that starchy water later on to thin the sauce.
Lower the heat, and stir in the cream. As soon as that starts to simmer, stir in the cheese, pancetta, basil and chicken. Simmer gently until the cheese melts.
Remove the chicken from the pan and put it on the plate with the prepared pancetta.
Fold in the prepared pasta. Add a little bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce, a teaspoon approximately at a time, up until its the consistency you desire.
Serve the velvety chicken and asparagus pasta in big shallow bowls with a sprinkle of fresh basil and additional cheese, if you desire.
Asparagus cooks pretty rapidly, in about 3 or four minutes. You desire it to be crisp tender, not mushy tender. The color should be a dynamic green.
Youll desire to get the pasta started. It can take some time for a huge pot of water to come to a boil. Boil the pasta according to the package directions. The cooking time depends on what type of pasta you choose.
Serve warm crusty bread and dining establishment design bread dipping oil. Make the occasion unique with a cocktail, perhaps an Aperol spritz or a rosé spritzer. Both cocktails are refreshing and light.
Scoop the pancetta out of the grease and spread it on a paper-towel lined plate to drain pipes. Put the excess grease into a little bowl, keeping about one tablespoon of it in the skillet.
Add the chicken, spreading it in a single layer. Allow the chicken to prepare undisturbed for a couple of minutes so it gets brown and good on the bottom, and then offer it a stir.
Stir in the white red wine, and after that the asparagus.
Wondering what to serve with this pasta? An Olive Garden design salad, with lettuce, croutons, red onions, and tomatoes and velvety Italian dressing matches this dish or keep things actually easy with marinaded tomatoes as a salad.
Frequently asked questions
How do you know if asparagus is great? The stalks should be firm, smooth, and crisp and the buds tightly closed. Both thick and thin stalks are fine. Asparagus may be green, purple, or white, depending upon the range. Prevent asparagus that is limp, old and wrinkly, or yellowish green. What can I use for cream in pasta? If you want creamy pasta however would rather use no cream, there are a couple of alternatives. Half & & half is velvety however with a 3rd of the fat. Whole milk thickened with cornstarch or flour works well. Plain Greek yogurt or cream cheese are excellent options, too. Coconut milk is a non-dairy option however it does have a taste so isnt appropriate for all pasta dishes.If youre simply not a fan of velvety pasta, try a basil pesto sauce or tomato-based spaghetti sauce.
Make It Your Own
Replace bacon for pancetta, if you prefer. Another option is to skip the pancetta and use olive oil to sauté the chicken and veggies instead.Love seafood? Switch out the chicken for shrimp. Not a fan of asparagus? Alternative sugar snap peas, spinach, or broccoli. Cooking times will vary slightly.Not a mushroom fan? Simply leave out the mushrooms from the recipe. Increase the asparagus rather if you like.
Storage & & Reheating Tips
This creamy pasta is best served immediately. Leftovers ought to be refrigerated without delay. It will keep for as much as three days. It does not freeze well.
Reheat single parts in the microwave. For bigger quantities, reheat carefully in a skillet over medium low heat. Add broth, milk, or water to thin slightly, if needed.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review listed below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Preparation Time: 20 minsCook Time: 35 minsTotal Time: 55 minutes
4 portions
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With an abundant Alfredo sauce, this creamy chicken and asparagus pasta makes certain to be a hit, and its packed with healthy veggies.
InstructionsHeat a large pot of salted water over high heat and cook pasta as directed. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water prior to draining.Combine cornstarch, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Spray over chicken and toss to combine. Set aside.Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Include pancetta and cook till crispy, about 9 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and put on a paper towel lined plate to drain.Remove all however 1 tablespoon of grease from the pan, booking the staying grease. Boost heat to medium-high and prepare chicken, stirring only periodically, until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and add to plate with pancetta.Reduce heat to medium, add a teaspoon of reserved grease, if essential, and include shallots and mushrooms. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Prepare up until mushrooms are browned, stirring periodically, about 6 minutes. Include garlic, cook and stir for 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant.Add red wine to pan and bring to a boil. Include asparagus to pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or till asparagus is crisp-tender and wine has reduced.Reduce heat to low, stir in cream until simmering. Stir in cheese, pancetta, chicken, and basil.when cheese has actually melted, stir in pasta. If wanted, add pasta water as desired to thin sauce.Garnish with fresh basil and more cheese.
Active ingredients ▢ 8 oz. dry pasta (cavatappi or small penne) ▢ 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano ▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided ▢ 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, divided ▢ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder ▢ 4 ounces sliced pancetta ▢ 2 big shallots, very finely sliced (about 1 cup) ▢ 8 oz. white mushrooms, cleaned up and sliced ▢ 4 cloves garlic, minced ▢ 1 pound asparagus, cut and trimmed into 1-inch pieces ▢ 1/2 cup dry white wine (substitute chicken broth, if wanted) ▢ 1/2 cup whipping cream ▢ 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, more for serving ▢ 1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves, more for serving
This site offers approximate nutrition details for benefit and as a courtesy just. Nutrition data is collected mainly from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever readily available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Youll require about a pound of chicken. It seasons the cornstarch and the chicken help in browning the chicken, sealing in the juices and giving it a crisp exterior. Boost heat to medium-high and prepare chicken, stirring only periodically, until golden brown and prepared through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in cheese, basil.when, chicken, and pancetta cheese has melted, stir in pasta.
And it doesnt include any veggies, just sauce, chicken, and pasta.
Nutrition InformationCalories: 691kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 45g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.1 g, Cholesterol: 133mg, Sodium: 831mg, Potassium: 1144mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1601IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 239mg, Iron: 5mg.
Notes
Bacon can be replaced for pancetta if you choose. Another alternative is to avoid the pancetta and use a couple tablespoons of olive oil to sauté the chicken, mushrooms, and shallots.
Not a fan of asparagus? Substitute sugar snap peas, frozen peas, spinach, or broccoli..
Reheat leftovers in a frying pan over medium low heat. Add water, milk, or broth if essential to thin the sauce.
