Recipe for Mushroom Chicken Alfredo Pasta

The first time I asked for Pasta Alfredo in a cafe, I didn’t know what I ordered. A hill full of pasta arrived at my place, flooded with creamy sauce. I was thinner and ate most of my entre, something I cannot do anymore. Could I decrease the calories and enjoy this classic dish? Though I wasn’t sure, I wanted to find out in the kitchen.

Alfredo sauce is a blend of ingredients that most of us love- heavy cream, butter, garlic, Parmesan cheese if you like it, and freshly ground black pepper. Some recipes contain cream cheese and egg yolks. 

While experimenting, I’ve made Alfredo sauce with fat-free milk, one or two tablespoons of reduced-fat cream cheese for taste, and a tablespoon of shredded Parmesan cheese. This sauce is a rather good substitute for the original, but nothing can equal the original recipe made with heavy cream.

Tonight I came up with an Alfredo casserole that uses unused chicken, as many herbs as chicken, small pasta, and reduced-fat sauce from a jar. I was surprised by the results. The mushrooms blended well with the sauce and the peas added texture and color. For more nutrition, I used whole wheat pasta, something my girlfriend doesn’t like. But she didn’t know the pasta was whole wheat because it was blended in with an “army” of mushrooms and those little peas.

This recipe makes four healthy portions, fewer if you’re serving teenagers. You can double the recipe if required. Anyone who likes pasta, chicken, and creamy sauce will love Mushroom Chicken Alfredo. 

Ingredients

• 1 tsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms 
• 1 cup peas, thawed
• 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (leftover chicken)
• 2 cups small whole wheat pasta (shells, cut spaghetti)
• 15-ounce jar creamy Alfredo sauce
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Once butter melts, add mushroom and cook over medium heat until it turns brown. 
3. Remove skillet from the heat, and add peas, cubed chicken. Keep it aside. 
4. Cook pasta according to the directions until it is almost ready (al Dente).
5. Drain well and transfer into a bowl.
6. Pour skillet over pasta and mix gently.
7. Spoon mixture into medium casserole dish.
8. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until casserole bubbles.
9. Serve hot.