Zesty Chicken Alfredo

Name: Zesty Chicken Alfredo
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 4 -6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, fat discarded,washed,patted dry,and cut in bite-size pieces; 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (if you can find it, optional, but a great flavor addition); 2 teaspoons grated lemons, zest of, yellow part only; 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules; nonstick cooking spray; 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 lb sliced, cleaned mushrooms or 2 (6 ounce) jars canned mushroom slices, drained; 2 -3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 (16 ounce) jar healthy choice four-cheese alfredo sauce or 1 (16 ounce) jar mushroom alfredo sauce (or other purchased low-fat Alfredo sauce); 4 -5 cups cooked rotini pasta or 4 -5 cups other short pasta, cooked in boiling salted water until al dente and drained (see text, below regarding timing); 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (to garnish) (optional)

Submitted by Toby Jermain

"I almost feel guilt making a recipe using purchased Alfredo sauce, since the real thing is so easy to make, but this is a lot healthier."

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Ready In:: 50mins
Ingredients:: 13
Serves:: 4

ingredients

4 -6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, fat discarded,washed,patted dry,and cut in bite-size pieces
¹⁄₄ teaspoon lemon extract (if you can find it, optional, but a great flavor addition)
2 teaspoons grated lemons, zest of, yellow part only
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¹⁄₂ teaspoon garlic granules
nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 lb sliced, cleaned mushrooms or (6 ounce) jars canned mushroom slices, drained
2 -3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 (16 ounce) jar healthy choice four-cheese alfredo sauce or (16 ounce) jar mushroom alfredo sauce (or other purchased low-fat Alfredo sauce)
4 -5 cups cooked rotini pasta or 4 -5 cups other short pasta, cooked in boiling salted water until al dente and drained (see text, below regarding timing)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (to garnish) (optional)

directions

Rub chicken breasts with lemon oil, if using.
Sprinkle both sides with lemon zest, pepper, and granulated garlic, and set aside for 15-minutes for flavor to develop.
Start to heat salted water to cook the pasta, but don’t cook it until you start to make the sauce.
Spray a large, nonstick skillet with nonstick spray, add olive oil, and place over medium heat.
When hot, add chicken, and cook until done, but still springy to the touch, and lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
If using fresh mushrooms, add to pan, increase heat to high, and cook for about 5 minutes.
Remove mushrooms from pan using a slotted spatula, leaving juice behind.
If not using fresh mushrooms, drain all excess oil from pan, leaving browned bits in pan.
Reduce heat to medium if necessary.
Add pasta to boiling water.
Add lemon juice to skillet, and deglaze the pan, scraping up all browned bits from cooking chicken.
Add mustard and Alfredo sauce, and stir until combined.
Simmer until heated through.
Stir in chicken and mushrooms, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low until pasta is done.
Serve sauce over pasta and chicken.
Sprinkle with parsley if desired.
Serves 4.
Note!!!! Ingredient should be LEMON OIL, not extract. Recipezaar recipe software changed it to extract and will not let me make the correction. Sorry about that!

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Reviews

mmmm, this is good. I made a short cut version. I used a lemon chicken seasoning and baked the chicken first. I loved the dijon in this, perfect with the chicken.

kfcook
We loved this, made for a special weekend meal awhile back. Didn't find the Lemon Oil so simply mixed lemon juice with a bit of oil and that worked well for me. Used fresh mushrooms. Thank you for posting this recipe which we will be making again not only for ourselves but serving to our friends as well. Yes it is that good!

Gerry

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Toby Jermain

Houston, TX

I WAS retired oilfield trash since 1999, who has lived in Houston TX for the last 25 years, though I'm originally from California. I'm Texan by choice, not by chance! I am now working in Algeria 6 months a year, so I guess that gives new meaning to the term SEMI-retired. I grew up in restaurants and worked in them for 13 years while getting through high school and college, working as everything from dishwasher to chef, including just about everything in between. At odd intervals I also waited tables and tended bar, which gave me lots of incentive to stay in school and get my engineering degree. During the 33 years since, I have only cooked for pleasure, and it HAS given me a great deal of pleasure. It's been my passion. I love to cook, actually more than I love to eat. I read cookbooks like most people read novels. My wife and I both enjoy cooking, though she isn't quite as adventurous as I am. I keep pushing her in that direction, and she's slowly getting there. We rarely go out to eat, because there are very few restaurants that can serve food as good as we can make at home. When we do go out, it's normally because we are having an emergency junk-food attack. My pet food peeves are (I won't get into other areas): are people who post recipes that they have obviously NEVER fixed; obvious because the recipe can't be made because of bad instructions, or that are obvious because it tastes horrible. I also detest people who don't indicate that a recipe is untried, even when it is a good recipe. Caveat emptor!

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