Keto chicken alfredo with zucchini noodles

Name: Keto chicken alfredo with zucchini noodles
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 large (about 1 1/2 lb) zucchini, spiralized; 1 1/4 tsp salt, divided; 1 1/2 lb chicken breast, pounded to an even 2 cm (3/4 inch); 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp butter; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 cup chicken broth; 2/3 cup heavy cream; 2 oz cream cheese, softened; 2/3 cup grated parmesan, finely grated; a pinch nutmeg; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Pan-seared chicken and a proper thick alfredo of reduced cream, cream cheese and parmesan, tossed at the last moment with zucchini noodles. The noodles are salted and squeezed first and only warmed through, so the sauce stays creamy instead of turning watery.

Time: 50 min (25 prep + 25 cook)
Servings: 4
Per serving: 585 kcal
Protein: 48 g

Servings4

Ingredients

3 large (about 1 1/2 lb) zucchini, spiralized
1 1/4 tsp salt, divided
1 1/2 lb chicken breast, pounded to an even 2 cm (3/4 inch)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Alfredo

2 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 oz cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup grated parmesan, finely grated
a pinch nutmeg

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

Toss the zucchini noodles with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt in a colander over the sink and leave for 15 minutes. Squeeze them firmly in a clean towel, handful by handful, and spread them on a dry towel.
Pat the chicken dry and season with the remaining salt and the pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken 5–6 minutes a side, until golden and 165°F inside. Rest it on a board for 5 minutes, then slice.
Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat and cook the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the broth and scrape up the brown bits, let it bubble for 2 minutes, then add the cream and cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes, until it has reduced and coats a spoon.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the parmesan and nutmeg until the sauce is smooth. It should be thicker than you want it, because the noodles will loosen it.
Heat a second large skillet over high heat and toss the noodles in the dry pan for just 2 minutes, until hot. Longer and they start to release water.
Tip the noodles into the sauce, add the chicken and any juices, toss quickly and serve at once with parsley. To keep some for later, store the chicken and sauce apart from the noodles for up to 3 days; reheat the sauce gently and toss with noodles warmed for 1 minute.

Good to know

No spiralizer?

Pull a vegetable peeler along the zucchini for wide ribbons. They are closer to fettuccine, and a bag of ready-spiralized noodles works too.

Can I use chicken thighs?

Yes, boneless thighs are a little more forgiving, at about 42 instead of 48. Give them 5–6 minutes a side and slice them after resting.

Alternative

39the regular versionChicken alfredo

Per

Calories: 171
Protein: (34%); 14 g
Fat: (60%); 11 g
Carbohydrates: (7%); 3 g
of which sugar: 2 g
Fiber: <1 g
Sodium: 352 mg

More meals

Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How

As written, 2342 kcal goes into the pot and 1806 g of ingredients comes out as about 1367 g of food: 171 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.

Keto chicken alfredo with zucchini noodles