Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Blackened Chicken AlfredoThis 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.
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Calories: 614kcal
Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Equipment
- 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
- 1.64 lbs chicken tenderloins (chicken tender or cutlets)
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil (grapeseed oil or olive oil)
- 2 tablespoon shallots
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 13.66 oz unsweetened canned coconut milk (or heavy cream)
- 1 lb pappardelle pasta (nests) (or your preferred pasta shape)
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish. please grate yourself)
Seasonings
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon dried parsley
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 614kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1674mg | Potassium: 1052mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 764IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 339mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For the most accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information using the specific ingredients and brands you use.
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