15 in 3: Dinner 10 Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli & Carrots

Welcome to the tenth installment of 15 in 3!  This is the place I am sharing my 15 favorite dinners over the next 3 weeks.  Stay tuned for easy homemade dinner recipes containing lots of whole foods, minimal processed ingredients, and straight forward recipes with everyday healthy ingredients.  Some posts will contain bonus breakfast and snack ideas.  Happy cooking!

Dinner 10:  Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli & Carrots

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast

1 bag frozen broccoli florets

4 carrots

To taste, garlic salt, pepper, Italian seasoning

1/2 14.5 oz. package uncooked penne (or preferred) pasta

2 T. butter

1/8 c. flour

1/4 t. garlic salt

1 c. skim milk

2 T. half and half

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 t. dried parsley (basil or italian seasoning also work great)

1/6 c. shredded parmesan cheese (I think grated would works as well)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally, then slice vertically into 1/2 inch wide pieces.  Cover the bottom of a glass 9x13 baking dish with the chicken.  Sprinkle a little of each seasoning over the top, then stir.  Add frozen broccoli.  Trim off ends of carrots, then peel, quarter and julienne them.  Add to baking pan.  Repeat seasonings.  Bake uncovered in oven for 30 minutes or until chicken juices run clearly.

2.  Prepare pasta according to package directions. 

3.  While chicken, vegetables, and pasta are cooking, prepare the alfredo sauce.  This is the original recipe.  The original serves eight.  I halved it to serve four, and also replaced the 2 c. half and half with skim milk and just a bit of half and half.  *Thank you, Beth, for the healthy suggestion.*

     a) Melt butter in small saucepan over medium low heat.  Whisk in flour and garlic salt until smooth.
     b) Slowly beat in milk and half and half until completely incorporated.
     c) Stir in garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese.
     d) Whisk continually as sauce simmers.  Stir until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

We have always used fettuccine and put the sauce on top until this time when we decided to use penne and mix everything together before serving.  We really liked it this way:)

Serves four.  Calories: 555.

Enjoy!