Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo with Veggie Noodles

May 6, 2021 | Lifestyle

By: Susan Joy

My Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo with veggie noodles is a healthier spin on a traditional Alfredo recipe. It has a tasty, thick and creamy dairy-free sauce. It’s the perfect comfort food. You can use orange sweet potato or purple-skin sweet potato with white flesh for the veggie noodles, or zucchini but my favourite is making the noodles from parsnip.

Serves: 4 – 5 | Prep Time: 00:20 | Cooking Time: 00:25 | * Plus 1 hour to soak the cashew

Ingredients

  • 140g (1 cup) raw cashews, soaked in filtered water for 1 hour 
  • 3 Tbsp ghee, or coconut oil for cooking (divided) 
  • 1 Lge onion(s), finely diced (divided) 
  • 4 tsp minced garlic, (divided) 
  • 325ml (1 1/4 cups) chicken broth/stock, or vegetable stock 
  • 125ml (1/2 cup) coconut milk 
  • 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes 
  • Juice of 1 lime(s) 
  • 3/4 tsp fine sea salt 
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground 
  • 600g chicken breast, cut into 2cm cubes 
  • 1 tsp Italian herbs 
  • 1 Lge (4 – 5 cups) broccoli, cut into small florets 
  • For veggie noodles spirilize 3 – 4 sweet potato, 4 – 5 parsnips or 3 zucchini 
  • Garnish with chopped parsley 

Directions

Soak the cashews in a bowl of filtered water for one hour, then drain and rinse well.

Spiralize your choice of vegetable to make the noodles and set aside (use a spiral slicer or julienne slicer to make your noodles).

Heat a large frypan on medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of ghee and half the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes to soften but not brown, add 2 teaspoons of garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds.

Transfer the onion and garlic to a high-speed blender, then add the cashews, broth, coconut milk, nutritional yeast flakes, lime, salt and pepper. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Scrape down the lid and sides of the jug, then blend for a further 20 seconds or until the mixture is smooth with no bits of nuts present. Set aside (the sauce will thicken more once heated).

Heat the frypan on high and add one tablespoon of ghee. Cook the chicken for 3 – 4 minutes on each side or until cooked and lightly golden. Push the chicken to one side of the pan. Add a little more ghee and the remaining onion, cook for 2 minutes then add the remaining garlic. Stir the chicken through the onion mixture and sprinkle over the Italian herbs/seasoning.

Add the broccoli to the pan and toss it through the chicken mixture to cook lightly, it should keep its bright green colour. Reduce the heat and pour the alfredo sauce over the chicken and broccoli. Stir often while the sauce heats, don’t simmer for long as the sauce will thicken quite quickly (just add a little broth or water to the pan if it thickens too much).

In a separate large frying pan on high heat, add a tablespoon of ghee. Break up any extra-long noodles to make them easier to eat. Add the sweet potato or parsnip in batches. Cook, tossing to just soften the noodles for 2 – 3 minutes, you want them al dente. If you use zucchini, squeeze out the excess liquid before giving a quick toss in the pan to heat through.

To serve, divide the veggie noodles between plates or bowls and spoon over the Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo, sprinkle a little parsley on top.

Article supplied with thanks to The JOYful Table.

About the Author: Susan is an author of The JOYful Table cookbook containing gluten & grain free, and Paleo inspired recipes for good health and wellbeing.