Healthy Chicken Alfredo
Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce
· 1 1/2cups raw cashews
· 3/4-1cup water or unsweetened almond milk
· 2 cloves garlic peeled
· 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
· 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
· 1 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
· 1 teaspoon dried basil
Chicken
· 2 medium chicken breasts
· Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
· 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil, plus more as needed
· 28 ounces cooked spaghetti squash from about 1 large spaghetti squash
· fresh parsley chopped
Make the chicken:
1. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with plenty of salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium-high heat, then carefully add chicken breasts to pan. Cook 8-9 minutes total for medium chicken breasts and 9-10 minutes for large chicken breasts, flipping once in between cooking time. Add a little more oil to pan if necessary.
2. When cooked through, remove from pan and let rest 5 minutes. Then slice into strips against the grain.
Make the dairy-free alfredo sauce:
1. In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until completely smooth and hot. If your blender does not heat contents, transfer sauce to saucepan and heat over low heat.
Assemble the healthy chicken alfredo:
1. Heat the spaghetti squash through, either in the microwave or in a large skillet, then top with the dairy-free alfredo sauce and sliced chicken. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and more freshly cracked black pepper.
To make spaghetti squash ahead of time:
Halve your spaghetti squash and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Discard seeds. Place spaghetti squash halves on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Add a little water if you like, about 1/2 cup, to help steam the squash. Roast at 400º F for 30-45 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, then use a fork to gently scrape the flesh out of the skins, separating the flesh into strands or "spaghetti."
Chef Shawn Gagne, 603.377.0688