One of the biggest challenges I've faced being an "adult" is not having mom around to help with dinner. Fully aware of the fact that I'm both incredibly lucky and spoiled, getting home after work and cooking has been one of the biggest changes I've had to deal with. My pre-dinner routine usually consists of me Googling or Pinteresting combinations of "easy", "cheap", "quick", and "dinner". Also "pasta". I like pasta a lot.
This week, I finally found a recipe that seemed to fit my aforementioned criteria. Most importantly, I already had all the required ingredients (this is the most important aspect of all my cooking projects, honestly). It substituted most the fattening (albeit delicious) ingredients with healthier, low-fat ingredients and promised the same delicious taste, so I had to give it a go.
First, boil some generously salted water, and get your pasta going. According to ask.com, the reason you add salt to water when making pasta is to 1) add a bit of flavor/seasoning to the pasta, and 2) bring the boiling temperature up to allow the pasta to cook faster and better. If it's on the Internet, it must be true, so do it! :)
I didn't have fettuccine at home, so I substituted it with angel hair pasta.
Allow the cheese to melt completely, and reduce heat to keep the sauce warm. When the pasta is al dente or however dente you want it to be, drain in a colander.
Now here is where I varied from the original recipe slightly. Apparently, my boyfriend is a 5th grader, so I had to add chicken tenders to the dish. Yes - you read that right. Chicken tenders. Whipped up some frozen breaded chicken tenders I already had in the freezer, and chopped them up to add to the pasta. The adult version of this is to add grilled chicken instead, if you want the added taste and texture.
This week, I finally found a recipe that seemed to fit my aforementioned criteria. Most importantly, I already had all the required ingredients (this is the most important aspect of all my cooking projects, honestly). It substituted most the fattening (albeit delicious) ingredients with healthier, low-fat ingredients and promised the same delicious taste, so I had to give it a go.
First, boil some generously salted water, and get your pasta going. According to ask.com, the reason you add salt to water when making pasta is to 1) add a bit of flavor/seasoning to the pasta, and 2) bring the boiling temperature up to allow the pasta to cook faster and better. If it's on the Internet, it must be true, so do it! :)
I didn't have fettuccine at home, so I substituted it with angel hair pasta.
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| Fettuccine imposter. |
While the pasta is cooking, you can start creating the alfredo sauce. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute for about a minute until fragrant. Believe you me, I am a big fan of using fresh ingredients as often as possible, but I'm also a big fan of keeping things simple...You can substitute fresh garlic for pre-minced garlic that you can buy at Walmart. 1 clove = 1/2 tsp.
 |
| No shame. |
Gradually add the flour and stir to combine. Continue cooking for a minute. Then, slowly add chicken broth, continuously stirring/whisking until you reach a smooth consistency. Add milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow the sauce to thicken slightly...
...then add the best part! The cheese!
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| Yep. |
Allow the cheese to melt completely, and reduce heat to keep the sauce warm. When the pasta is al dente or however dente you want it to be, drain in a colander.
Add the pasta into your delicious sauce, and toss to combine.
 |
| Keepin' it real with chopsticks, cause this is an Asian household. |
Now here is where I varied from the original recipe slightly. Apparently, my boyfriend is a 5th grader, so I had to add chicken tenders to the dish. Yes - you read that right. Chicken tenders. Whipped up some frozen breaded chicken tenders I already had in the freezer, and chopped them up to add to the pasta. The adult version of this is to add grilled chicken instead, if you want the added taste and texture.
Toss the chicken with your pasta, add salt, pepper, and parsley to taste, and you have a delicious dish that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
Here is the recipe for your convenience, slightly adapted from Gimme Some Oven's Skinny Fettuccine Alredo. This is perfect for 2 people, if one of them has a really large appetite. :)
Yield: 3 servings
Nutrition: 319 calories/serving
Ingredients:
4 oz fettuccine (or any pasta shape)
2/3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
4 oz frozen breaded chicken tenders/grilled chicken
salt to taste
pepper to taste
parsley (optional)
Instructions:
- Boil generously salted water and cook pasta according to package directions.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute for about a minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle with flour, and stir to combine. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly add chicken broth, continuously stirring/whisking until you reach a smooth consistency. Add milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Allow the sauce to thicken slightly, then add in Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Reduce heat to keep the sauce warm.
- Prepare frozen breaded chicken tenders/grilled chicken according to package directions. Chop to bite size pieces, if necessary, and set aside.
- When the pasta is done, drain in a colander. Add pasta and chicken to sauce and toss to combine.
- Add salt, pepper, and parsley to combine and serve immediately.
- Enjoy! :)
Nutritional Information from MyFitnessPal:
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