Spicy Parmesan Chicken Alfredo

All recipes have a story and this one starts at Red Lobster. We were out and about last week and needed dinner. We were close to a lot of restaurants but my wife loves sea food 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 sea food occasionally and I can eat sea food or find something else (thinking cheese cake maybe).

She had a sea food combo and I skipped the cheese cake and went with the Cajan Chicken Alfredo. Frankly, I had a good meal with great taste, her's 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.


I have a hard time dealing with recipes that start off with a large amount of butter. I call it a Paula Deen aversion (I do love watching her cook). I went to my own low fat chicken Alfredo and spiced it up with what I call Cajan spicing.

Rating:

Almost a 5.

This is a moderately spicy (4/10) very parmesan tasting sauce. If you're not a major parmesan person, cut the parmesan in half.

Notes: I generally have pictures all the way through. But I suffered camera failure in the middle of cooking at "a point of no return". I have substituted some pictures from a previous post.

Start with the spices. 3/4 t each of black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Mix well.

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

Heat 1 T olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp 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.

substitute picture...

Start heating your water for the pasta (linguine was my choice). You will start cooking that in a few minutes. Add 1/4 cup AP flour to 1 cup of cold milk in a Tupperware gravy shaker. You could whisk together if you don't have the shaker.

Start pasta now (1/2 pound) and cook according to directions. Add 1 T butter to a sauce pan over medium heat when bubbling, add 2 cloves of garlic. Cook for about one minute.

Substitute picture #2

Now slowly add the milk/flour mixture while whisking continuously. Add one more cup of milk along with 1/2 to 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add 2 t of seasoning and 1 t salt. Increase heat to medium high while still whisking. Brink 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.

Spicy Parmesan Chicken Alfredo

by DrDan at 101 Cooking For Two July-22-2011

A healthy low-fat spicy chicken Alfredo that is bursting with taste ready in about 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium skinless boneless chicken breast
• 3/4 t black pepper
• 3/4 t cayenne
• 3/4 t onion powder
• 3/4 t garlic powder
• 3/4 t paprika
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 pound luguine
• 1 T butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup AP flour
• 2 cups nonfat milk
• 1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 t salt

Instructions

1) Start with the spices. 3/4 t each of black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Mix well. 2) Trim two medium size (or one giant) skinless boneless chicken breast. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes.3) Heat 1 T olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp 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.4) Start heating your water for the pasta (linguine was my choice). You will start cooking that in a few minutes.5) Add 1/4 cup AP flour to 1 cup of cold milk in a Tupperware gravy shaker. You could whisk together if you don't have the shaker. 6) Start pasta (1/2 lb) now and cook according to directions. Add 1 T butter to a sauce pan over medium heat when bubbling, add 2 cloves of garlic. Cook for about one minute.7) Now slowly add the milk/flour mixture while whisking continuously. Add one more cup of milk along with 1/2 to 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add 2 t of seasoning and 1 t salt. Increase heat to medium high while still whisking. Brink to a medium boil. In about 6-7 minutes the mixture will thicken.8) 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.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 4 servings

Updated

September 14 2011

DrDan