cauliflower chicken alfredo
pasta for picky eaters
A whole head of cauliflower and no cream? Can it be good? My answer is emphatically, YES. My kids ate this up like banshees and brought the leftovers for school lunch. I would say this was a success :)
This is full of flavor, creamy, and so good for you. I love eating a meal that I know is nourishing to those I love!! It’s my favorite.
cauliflower chicken alfredo
serves 6.
ingredients:
for the pasta:
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/2-1 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb fettuccini, cooked to al dente
for the chicken:
2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
olive oil spray
toppings:
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
extra parmesan
instructions:
Prepare chicken.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
After cleaning chicken breasts, place all seasonings in a small bowl and mix together. Season each side of the chicken breasts equally and place on a small sheet pan. Lightly spray with olive oil, or drizzle if you do not have spray on hand.
Place chicken in oven until temperature reaches 165 F internally. This takes about 18-25 minutes depending on the size of your breast. Once done, leet rest 10 minutes before slicing.
While the chicken cooks, begin on your pasta and sauce.
In a medium sized saucepan pour about 2 inches of water on the bottom. Place cauliflower in pan and set over medium heat. Cover with a lid and let steam for 15-20 minutes until fork tender.
Once cauliflower is ready, place cooked florets in a blender with a couple tablespoons of remaining steaming water. Blend on high until smooth.Remove lid and add yeast, salt, and pepper. Blend once more until pureed together. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, not forgetting to generously salt pasta water before cooking pasta.
Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving water.
for the sauce:
To a medium sized pot add unsalted butter and let melt. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. With the heat on low add the cauliflower puree, lemon juice and zest, and parmesan. Stir until combined.
At this point, take some of your pasta water, about 1/2 cup, and whisk into sauce, using as much pasta water to achieve a silky consistency. Do not use more than 1 cup.
Season sauce with remaining salt and pepper.
Add pasta directly to cauliflower sauce and stir over low heat.
Top pasta with sliced chicken, chives, and extra parmesan.
Enjoy!