Lighter Avocado Alfredo Pasta with Spicy Chicken

If you thought alfredo sauce was creamy, wait until you try this lighter avocado alfredo pasta. Best served with fresh greens and spicy chicken on top!

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I have a confession to make. I am a candle hoarder.

You see, I love finding candles in amazing scents and thinking how great they will make my apartment smell. Yet somehow they end up being stashing away for some “special occasion” because I don’t want to waste such an awesome smell on just a regular ol’ day. And what if I cannot find that scent again? The horror! Apparently my own existence in my apartment did not seem like a good enough reason to burn them. And that makes absolutely no sense.

So, I have since changed this strange habit of mine because candles are meant to be BURNED. Plus I refuse to box up several large candles whenever I graduate and move this summer.

While I am offering up my habits, I present to you yet another variation of a lighter alfredo. I cannot get enough of it – it’s just so easy to make! And with the absence of heavy cream there’s really no excuse not to make it.

This version is made with avocados and results in an amazingly green and creamy sauce. But just so you are ware, it is thicker than traditional sauce due to the avocados, so you may need to add more reserved pasta water to thin it out. It is also especially delicious when paired with the spicy chicken.

If you want a smaller serving option that’s even healthier, try my Spaghetti Avocado.

What pasta goes well with Avocado Alfredo sauce?

While fettucine is the most common and would work perfectly well with this dish, I opted for the newest cascatelli pasta shape. It was great for holding on to pockets of the sauce which I found to be very delightful.

LIGHTER AVOCADO ALFREDO PASTA WITH SPICY CHICKEN

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Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CHICKEN

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenders
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pinch cayenne, to taste
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

SAUCE

• 2 large avocados
• 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
• 2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

TO SERVE

• 4 servings of pasta of choice
• 1 cup arugula or baby spinach

Directions

1. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook pasta until almost cooked through (just before al dente). Reserve a cup of the cooking water.
2. While the pasta cooks, in a shallow bowl, combine the black pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder salt and cayenne. Add chicken and toss until well coated.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken, flipping once, until cooked through.
4. While the chicken cooks, in a food processor add the flesh of the avocados, milk, cream cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan, flour and process until smooth. Transfer to a large pot over medium high heat. Simmer until warmed, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, plus additional to taste.
5. Add the pasta into the sauce, simmering until noodles have finished cooking, about 3 additional minutes (add reserved cooking water if sauce becomes overly dry and thick).
6. Plate pasta, top with arugula and then chicken. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Domestic Fits and my Lighter Fettucine Alfredo.

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Post updated 5/8/2023, photo above is the original.