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Author:

Kevin Curry

Cajun Chicken Alfredo From The Pumpkin Recipe

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Spice it up this fall with my cajun spiced chicken breasts, and use leftover pumpkin puree to create one of the most delicious homemade pasta alfredo dishes you’ve ever tried!

By using pumpkin, we lower the amount of fat calories (since it acts as a sauce thickener instead of milk, cheese and butter), and boost the flavor! It’s a delicious comfort-food makeover just in time for the fall.

Remember to customize this for your tastes and your dietary goals. For instance, swap the whole wheat fettuccine for shirataki fettuccine to reduce the amount of carbohydrates.

Enjoy this meal with a garden salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, shaved carrots, cucumbers, green (or red) onion, and your favorite low-calorie vinaigrette.

Let’s make this delicious, healthy dish. Before you start with the meal prep, preheat the oven to 420F.

Use a bowl to mix onion and garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, dried oregano, dried thyme and pinches of sea salt & pepper. Rub the chicken breasts with this mixture evenly and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for at least 15 minutes.

In a meantime, cook a whole wheat fettuccine in a pot. You can also use brown rice pasta or your choice of whole-grain pasta.

Then take a nonstick skillet and add some olive oil and garlic. Pour in your choice of milk, pumpkin and parmesan. Cook until you get a smooth texture. Add in cooked pasta and raw spinach and cook for a couple of more minutes.

When the alfredo sauce is done, add the chicken breasts, previously chopped. Serve and garnish your cajun chicken alfredo pasta with fresh cilantro and parsley. Viola!

With chicken pasta, there is never a mistake. But a little spice and some interesting ingredients can make it even tastier. Customize it for yourself and enjoy your meal.

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Cajun Chicken Alfredo From The Pumpkin Recipe

Ingredients

* Optional Substitution Note

Ingredients for 5 servings:

  • 1 1/4 lb chicken breasts
    • Vegetarian substitute: extra-firm tofu; seitan
  • Cajun rub
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
    • 1 teaspoon (smoked) paprika
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
    • pinches of sea salt & pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 8oz whole wheat fettuccine
    • Substitutes: brown rice pasta; shirataki fettuccine or spaghetti
  • Sauce
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
    • 2/3 cup skim milk (or milk of choice)
      • Vegetarian substitute: almond milk; coconut milk
    • 1 cup canned pumpkin
    • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons parmesan, grated
    • tablespoons of pasta water until you reach desired consistency (I used 5 tablespoons)
    • 1 1/2 cups raw spinach leaves
    • sea salt & cracked pepper to taste
  • Garnish
    • fresh chopped parsley

Steps

Step 1

Set oven to 420F/216C.

Step 2

Rub the chicken breasts well with seasonings.  Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a baking rack, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes.  Tip: for the final 2 minutes of baking, broil the chicken breast to blacken the edges and top of the chicken breast.  After baking, allow the breasts to cool, then chop them into pieces.

Step 3

Cook fettuccine according to the instructions given and reserve some of the pasta water.

Step 4

Set a (nonstick) skillet on medium heat and add olive oil and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes and do NOT burn the garlic.

Step 5

Reduce the heat, then add milk, pumpkin and 1/2 cup parmesan.  Mix together until you have a consistent, smooth alfredo sauce.  Add the cooked fettuccine and fold everything together.  Add tablespoons of pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

Step 6

Toss in the raw spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted.

Step 7

Add the chopped chicken breasts, then garnish with parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan. Season to taste with sea salt & pepper.

Cajun Chicken Alfredo From The Pumpkin Recipe

Kevin Curry


Prep 5min
Cook 25min
Total 30min

Category
Calories 460


Ingredients for 5 servings:

  • 1 1/4 lb chicken breasts
    • Vegetarian substitute: extra-firm tofu; seitan
  • Cajun rub
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
    • 1 teaspoon (smoked) paprika
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
    • pinches of sea salt & pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 8oz whole wheat fettuccine
    • Substitutes: brown rice pasta; shirataki fettuccine or spaghetti
  • Sauce
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
    • 2/3 cup skim milk (or milk of choice)
      • Vegetarian substitute: almond milk; coconut milk
    • 1 cup canned pumpkin
    • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons parmesan, grated
    • tablespoons of pasta water until you reach desired consistency (I used 5 tablespoons)
    • 1 1/2 cups raw spinach leaves
    • sea salt & cracked pepper to taste
  • Garnish
    • fresh chopped parsley

  1. Set oven to 420F/216C.

  2. Rub the chicken breasts well with seasonings.  Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a baking rack, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes.  Tip: for the final 2 minutes of baking, broil the chicken breast to blacken the edges and top of the chicken breast.  After baking, allow the breasts to cool, then chop them into pieces.

  3. Cook fettuccine according to the instructions given and reserve some of the pasta water.

  4. Set a (nonstick) skillet on medium heat and add olive oil and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes and do NOT burn the garlic.

  5. Reduce the heat, then add milk, pumpkin and 1/2 cup parmesan.  Mix together until you have a consistent, smooth alfredo sauce.  Add the cooked fettuccine and fold everything together.  Add tablespoons of pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

  6. Toss in the raw spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted.

  7. Add the chopped chicken breasts, then garnish with parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan. Season to taste with sea salt & pepper.



Nutrition per serving

Calories460cal
Protein46g
Fats13g
Carbs39g
Fiber5g
Sugar5g
0
(Based on 0 reviews)

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Details

Prep 5min
Cook 25min
Total 30min

Nutrition per serving

Calories460cal
Protein46g
Fats13g
Carbs39g
Fiber5g
Sugar5g
About Kevin - author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hey, I'm Kevin

My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and maintaining an active lifestyle.

By experimenting in the kitchen and sharing my meals on Tumblr, I learned healthy eating is not boring! By making a few adjustments to my favorite foods, I could design a diet that could help me achieve my wellness goals while satisfying my desire for BANGIN food! 😅 Now I try to help people around the world realize that same level of freedom in eating regardless of budget. Welcome, let's #DemocratizeWellness together!