Lite Pasta Alfredo with Chicken, Kielbasa and Broccoli



Lite Pasta Alfredo with Chicken, Kielbasa and Broccoli

Sometimes I stumble upon a dish that is so easy to prepare and loaded with flavors that I make it for all my EAT! clients in one week as well as for my family.  Lite Pasta Alfredo with Chicken, Kielbasa and Broccoli was the Dish du Jour last week and it will be showing up on our family dinner table very soon.

My Oldest loves pasta alfredo with chicken.  She requests it frequently for dinner and orders the cheesy entree when it appears on a restaurant menu when we are dining out.  Since it is a dish that is typically very high in calories and loaded with cheese and butter, I do not make it as often as she would like.  I have been searching and testing different versions of her favorite dish as I tried to hit upon the creamy, cheesy flavor without all the fat and calories.

Lo and behold!  I have found just such a recipe.  A multitude of flavors abound in this one dish entree loaded with chicken, smoky kielbasa, sauteed onions, mushrooms, and red peppers and just barely cooked broccoli.  Tossed with bowtie pasta and a just enough Parmesan sauce to hold everything together, this dinner will be a hit every time you serve it.

Lite Pasta Alfredo with Chicken, Kielbasa and Broccoli

serves 4

2 cups bowtie pasta
1/2 cup low-fat evaporated milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 egg yolk
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3/4 pound chicken tenderloins, cut in small chunks
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced onion
1  cup diced red pepper
2 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 pound kielbasa, sliced in half moons
2 tablespoons white wine
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched
salt and pepper
extra Parmesan cheese for serving
thinly sliced scallions for serving

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together evaporated milk, cheese, and egg yolk.  Set aside.

In a saute pan over medium high, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and saute the chicken until cooked through and lightly browned, about 4 - 5 minutes.  Remove from pan.

In the same saute pan over medium high heat, add the remaining olive oil, mushrooms, onion, red pepper, and garlic.  Saute for 3 - 4 minutes.  Add the kielbasa and continue to saute for an additional 3 - 4 minutes.  Add the wine and cook until it almost evaporates.  Add the evaporated milk mixture and stir until it begins to thicken.  Add bowtie pasta, chicken, and broccoli and toss gently to coat.  Season with salt and pepper and serve with extra Parmesan cheese and scallions sprinkled on top.