This flavor-packed Blackened Chicken Alfredo is made with a creamy twist that you will not believe. It's made with unsweetened coconut milk without the heaviness of cream for a lighter feel and taste.
Cast Iron Skillet Dutch oven, braiser, or other skillet
Chef's knife for chopping shallot and mincing garlic
Tongs from combining ingredients in skillet
Kitchen shears for cutting chicken into cubes
Ingredients
1.64lbschicken tenderloins(chicken tender or cutlets)
2tablespoonavocado oil(grapeseed oil or olive oil)
2tablespoonshallots
2clovesfresh garlic
¾cupchicken broth
13.66ozunsweetened canned coconut milk(or heavy cream)
1lbpappardelle pasta (nests)(or your preferred pasta shape)
1cupparmesan cheese(plus more for garnish. please grate yourself)
Seasonings
½tablespoononion powder
½tablespoongarlic powder
½tablespoonsmoked paprika
½tablespoondried parsley
½tablespoonkosher salt
½teaspoonblack pepper
½teaspoonred pepper flakes
Instructions
Cook pasta just until al dente. Follow direction on package.
Meanwhile, wash your chicken and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Season both sides of your chicken. Place your skillet of medium high heat and sear both sides until crusty outer coating forms. Do not overcook. It's fine if your chicken is under-cooked as it will cook more when it get added to your alfredo sauce. Once nicely seared, place on a clean plate, then cut into cubes. Set aside.
Add more oil to your skillet if necessary. Then, add shallots and saute then add garlic and continue to saute until fragrant. You only need several seconds for this step. Make sure shallots and garlic do not burn.
Add your chicken broth to the skillet and stir. Allow your broth to heat up then whisk in your unsweetened coconut milk until combined. Bring to a gentle boil then lower heat to simmer.
Add the cubed chicken to skillet and continue to cook for a few extra minutes. Turn off heat. Add about ½ to ¾ of the cooked pasta (DO NOT ADD ALL THE PASTA). Add the parmesan cheese and gently combine using your tongs until everything is evenly coated. This may take a few minutes. Garnish with dried or chopped fresh parsley.
NOTE: You will not need to use all of your cooked pasta. Please be mindful of your pasta to sauce ratio. Pasta absorbs the sauce the longer it sits. With that said, you do not want a serving of dry pasta.
Video
Notes
Balance Spice Level: Adjust the seasoning according to your heat tolerance. If you prefer it mild, go easy on the cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. But, if you prefer the extra kick of heat, add more of these spices.
Creamy Consistency: When using canned unsweetened coconut milk, shake the can well before opening to combine the contents. Don't worry if the milk appears separated. When you begin whisking, it will blend perfectly and create a smooth consistency.
Searing: To get the blackened chicken crust, add cooking oil to your skillet such as grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or olive oil, and let your chicken cook undisturbed right until you get that perfect sear. The key is not to flip the chicken over too early during the cooking process.
Parmesan cheese: It's best to avoid buying pre-grated parmesan cheese and instead grate it yourself for a smoother and creamier consistency. Avoid adding the cheese to the sauce immediately. All the sauce to cook until it reaches the desired consistency, then add the grated parmesan cheese towards the end and stir it in.
Taste test: Although parmesan is considered a "salty cheese", I highly recommend that you taste test as you go to ensure that your alfredo is flavorful and delicious. If you need to add more kosher salt at the end, do so unless you're following a low sodium diet.
Pasta to sauce ratio: You will not need to use all of your cooked pasta. Please be mindful of your pasta to sauce ratio. Pasta absorbs the sauce the longer it sits. With that said, you do not want a serving of dry pasta. Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid or in a ziploc bag in the fridge. You can use this for a different dish on another day.
Alfredo sauce consistency: If you find your sauce is a little thin at first, keep in mind that the longer your dish sits, your sauce will thicken naturally. Give it a few minutes.
Unsweetened coconut milk over heavy cream: I chose to use unsweetened coconut milk over heavy mean to give this dish a creamy texture and to keep it light without the heaviness of cream.