This Healthy Chicken Alfredo pasta recipe is made in just one pan, with all the flavor of traditional Alfredo, without the calories!
If you love One Pan Meals, try my One-Pan Baked Ziti, Sheet Pan Fajitas, or Taco Soup.
I think this Skinny Chicken Alfredo really speaks for itself with a Healthy Alfredo Sauce made without butter, heavy cream, or cream cheese. The flavor is still creamy and amazing with the same “comfort food” type of feel, but way less calories and fat.
How to make Healthy Chicken Alfredo:
- Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces, about 1 inch, and season with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to a skillet over medium high heat.
- Add chicken to the hot skillet and brown on all sides for 1-2 minutes (you don’t need to cook it all the way through).
- Add minced garlic and sauté for one minute.
- Add chicken broth, milk, flour, onion powder, basil, parsley and uncooked pasta to pan and stir well to combine.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once or twice during this time.
- Remove from heat and stir in freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Recipe Variations:
- Dairy Free: Replace milk with a dairy free alternative, like soy, or almond milk.
- Gluten Free: Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch in place of the flour. Substitute gluten-free pasta.
- Vegetarian: Omit Chicken (add veggies if desired) and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Extra Veggies: Add broccoli florets or your favorite type of veggies! Throw them in during the last few minutes of cooking.
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Recipe
One-Pan Skinny Chicken Alfredo
Video
Ingredients
- 6 ounces uncooked farfalle pasta or any bite-sized shape pasta (white or wheat), about 3 cups
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cups fat-free milk
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces, about 1 inch, and season with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to a skillet over medium high heat.
- Add chicken to the hot skillet and brown on all sides for 1-2 minutes (you don’t need to cook it all the way through).
- Add minced garlic and sauté for one minute.
- Add chicken broth, milk, flour, onion powder, basil, parsley and uncooked pasta to pan and stir well to combine.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once or twice during this time.
- Remove from heat and stir in freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve with veggies, green salad, breadsticks, fruit.
Notes
- Dairy Free: Replace milk with a dairy free alternative, like soy, or almond milk.
- Gluten Free: Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch in place of the flour. Substitute gluten-free pasta.
- Vegetarian: Omit Chicken (add veggies if desired) and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Extra Veggies: Add broccoli florets or your favorite type of veggies! Throw them in during the last few minutes of cooking.
Nutrition
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I originally shared this recipe March 2015. Updated January 2021.
I use this as a base recipe and end up making it a little different each time I make it. Some favorite adjustments are to swap the chicken for broccoli or asparagus (I’m vegetarian) and/or add some baby spinach. I also always add a bit of crushed red pepper flakes to give it a little bit of a bite. If it’s been a while since I’ve made a grocery run I even just make this with just the noodles as a super easy, basic weeknight meal.
I have made this twice. I don’t like marinara, so I was looking for a healthy white sauce. Hands. Down. This is phenomenal! Comfort food to the max. The first time, we used macaroni, oat milk and added broccoli). BOMB. The second time, I subbed pasta for a beet pasta – not quite as good because the pasta got a little weird. As far as the comments on blandness, we use chicken that we preseason and keep in the freezer for quick meals, so we did not have any issue with this dish having a lack of flavor. I’m probably going to continue to make this every week. AMAZING.
So easy on those nights I’m tempted to reach for the phone to do take-out. Someday I intend to try replacing the chicken with a container of sliced mushrooms or some salmon.
Has anyone tried using legume or other healthy pasta?
I did today! The only thing I would do is leave out the pasta until the last 7 or so min. – this pasta gets weird if you leave it in too long.
Love THIS and ALL the recipes, but I am wondering what people are using to measure out portions? For example this is four servings but what is the measurement? I am wondering this for most of the recipes!
I am new here so any info would be awesome!
I’ve been making this recipe for years and it comes out great every time! Thank you!
Very good and easy to make! Used 2 1/2 cups of noodles (instead of 3) that I had on hand. Even my picky eater that does not care for cheese liked the dish. Thank you!
A great basic recipe, but I thought it was a bit bland. I stirred in a couple tablespoons of pesto at the end and some fresh spinach leaves – will make again, especially when short on time!
Delicious, kids loved it too! Super easy and full of flavor,
Really good! I threw in a whole bag of frozen peas and carrots and it gave it a bit more volume. Tasted great and had a much thicker consistency than I was expecting! Thanks!
How big is your pan? It looks giant in the picture above and I want to make sure I have one big enough to try this! It looks delicious!