Zesty Chicken Alfredo

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.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• 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
• 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)

Directions

1. Rub chicken breasts with lemon oil, if using.
2. Sprinkle both sides with lemon zest, pepper, and granulated garlic, and set aside for 15-minutes for flavor to develop.
3. Start to heat salted water to cook the pasta, but don’t cook it until you start to make the sauce.
4. Spray a large, nonstick skillet with nonstick spray, add olive oil, and place over medium heat.
5. 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.
6. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
7. If using fresh mushrooms, add to pan, increase heat to high, and cook for about 5 minutes.
8. Remove mushrooms from pan using a slotted spatula, leaving juice behind.
9. If not using fresh mushrooms, drain all excess oil from pan, leaving browned bits in pan.
10. Reduce heat to medium if necessary.
11. Add pasta to boiling water.
12. Add lemon juice to skillet, and deglaze the pan, scraping up all browned bits from cooking chicken.
13. Add mustard and Alfredo sauce, and stir until combined.
14. Simmer until heated through.
15. Stir in chicken and mushrooms, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low until pasta is done.
16. Serve sauce over pasta and chicken.
17. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.
18. Serves 4.
19. 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!