You know that moment when you realize it is 4:00 PM and you have nothing planned or defrosted for dinner? When that happens, this bacon chicken alfredo recipe (and others like my beef and cabbage stir fry) are my go-to meals. What’s so great about them? I make them in just one pan!
Less dishes to wash? Yes please!
How to Make Bacon Chicken Alfredo Healthy
Chicken alfredo (especially with bacon it!) may not seem like the healthiest fare. But compare the ingredients in this recipe with the label of most any pre-made alfredo sauce jar and you might be convinced otherwise!
I make a few other changes to my version of this classic comfort food to make it better for you:
- I add lots of fresh spinach
- I use protein and fiber rich shirataki noodles or veggie noodles instead of conventional pasta (more on this below)
- You won’t find any processed vegetable oils in this recipe! Instead this recipe’s healthy fats come from olive oil, some quality cream cheese, pastured bacon, and loads of fresh or dried herbs (which have a ton of health benefits).
Bonus: Other than shirataki or veggie noodles, you don’t need any unusual or special ingredients for this recipe. You can have a better-than-restaurant meal on the table in under half an hour!
Bacon Chicken Alfredo Without Pasta?
I know, I know, there is always a catch. In this case, the catch is that it is fastest if you use shirataki noodles instead of other types of pasta. I don’t really like to eat wheat products anyway, so I use shirataki or vegetable noodles.
Shirataki noodles are already cooked, which makes them super convenient. They just need to be rinsed and tossed into the sauce. I usually keep several packages on hand for this dish and for Thai peanut butter noodles. I often use this kind.
However, you can absolutely use vegetable noodles or any other type of noodle if you want. When I have time, I like to use my spiralizer to make veggie noodles, or use shredded cabbage, or spaghetti squash. I like the extra nutrients from the vegetables and the different flavors they add to dishes.
More One-Pan Meals
I love any recipe with a few basic criteria:
- Real food ingredients
- Cooks in one pan (to minimize the dishes)
- Easy to make
- Ready to eat in under 30 minutes
This chicken alfredo recipe meets all of those criteria and is absolutely delicious. You can make it in about half an hour, even if you have to defrost some frozen chicken in warm water first. If you have some already-cooked, leftover chicken to use, it will cut the time in half!
Some of our other one-pan favorites are:
- Baked Salmon and Asparagus
- Crustless Spinach Quiche
- Roasted Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
- Shakshuka Eggs
- Spaghetti over Cabbage Noodles
- Taco Bowl
- Vegetable Frittata
- Honey Mustard Chicken with Mushrooms
- Not my recipe, but this one-pan chicken and vegetable meal looks tasty!
Healthy Bacon Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Chicken alfredo (topped with bacon) has become one of my family’s favorite meals. I think your family will love it too!
Bacon Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil (or coconut oil)
- 1 lb chicken breasts (diced)
- 8 oz fresh spinach
- 1 tsp onion salt (or sea salt)
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 TBSP onion powder
- 1 TBSP dried parsley
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 21 oz angel hair shirataki noodles
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 4 slices bacon (precooked and crumbled)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped, optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive or coconut oil.
- Add the diced chicken to the preheated skillet and saute until the chicken is cooked through.
- Once the chicken is cooked, add the spinach and saute just until wilted.
- Sprinkle with the onion salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and parsley and stir to combine.
- Cut the cream cheese into 1-inch pieces and add it to the skillet.
- Stir often until the cream cheese is melted.
- While it is melting, rinse the shirataki noodles as directed.
- Add the noodles to the pan and stir until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened. If your sauce is too thick, you can add ½ cup milk or coconut milk.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and stir until evenly mixed in and melted.
- Remove from heat.
- Top with crumbled bacon and parsley, if using, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Is there a version that could be made with cashew cream to make it dairy free.? Also does your cookbook offer gluten and dairy free recipes. Would like to buy it but we need GF/CF recipes. Also my son has a wart I would love advice on getting rid of it.
The cook book is all gluten free and dairy optional…
I noticed that this recipe and others on your site use cheese. I’ve found raw sources of cheddar, but never cream cheese. Do you use raw cream cheese? I know that regular cheese is an inflammatory food? Is there a substitute?
Thanks
Shauna
Awesome recipe! Eating it as I type lol so yummy! I used spaghetti squash as I am on a low budget and am unable to purchase the noodles, but it tastes great! I also added fresh onion. I love how simple this is! Would love to see more fast, one pan recipes from you 🙂 on a completely random side note, I would love if you published a post on naturally and effectively removing plantar warts! I’ve done my own research, but it’s taking forever to heal 🙁
Thank you for your comment! I was just wondering if I could use my spaghetti squash, since I have a bounty stored from this past fall! I, too, have home-grown onions that need to be tossed in as well!
Welcome! It was super yummy. The onions added such a nice crunch!
Geez people ease up. Thanks Katie for this! It sounds great and as soon as I get half a minute to hit the grocery store I plan to try it. I love your other recipes. I grow my own garlic and onions, and all of the herbs I cook with and make my own organic dried powders, seasonings, etc. People should not be so quick to jump to conclusions, or judge others who are not able to buy all real food, organic, etc. Anyway, thanks again!
Hey Katie, I have both of your cookbooks and I also have 6 children. All of these one pot recipes are great. All of the time and effort you put into this blog is greatly appreciated. I’m sorry you have to read negative comments after all you do for people. You have really helped me more than you will ever know. I’m always recommending your blog to people. You encourage me to keep trying. Thanks
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Maria. Many blessings to you and your family in 2017!
I’m not sure how it’s “one pan” and half an hour if it relies on precooked bacon. If I hit a bad day where I don’t have anything in mind for dinner it’s unlikely I’d have a stash of crisp bacon on hand.
Then make it without the bacon… anyway, bacon can be cooked in 4 min in the microwave, just place paper towels on a plate, place bacon on them and put on more paper towels to prevent the microwave from getying dirty…
Why is it that people don’t write recipes using whole foods, I mean, I would have thought that you of all people would cook using whole foods. There’s nothing like using fresh ingredients, (garlic, onion, parsley etc). These “powdered” supermarket bought ingredients, are basically crap
I completely agree with you, but the point of this particular recipe is a simple and easy option that doesn’t take long to make. Sure, you can use whole garlic, onion, parsley, etc., but that would probably triple the length of the time to make the dish, and most mothers with kids don’t have the time to cook it in gourmet fashion with the whole ingredients. Of course, I always recommend purchasing the organic powder options whenever possible…
A recipe is: a set of instructions for preparing a particular dish, including a list of the ingredients required
If you don’t like it don’t make it.
Is it true that you shouldn’t heat olive oil to a high temperature? Thanks! 🙂
There’s a lot of confusion about this and I will eventually write about it, but it’s generally agreed upon that moderately high temperatures are ok.
I’d be very interested in that post! Been wondering about that.
Katie, I took the link from the Bacon Chicken Alfredo recipe to the Beef and Cabbage recipe. Both sound interesting and the comments support this. They sound like a base from which to build on – as many comments seem to suggest. Couldn’t find how to comment on the Beef and Cabbage but I do have a couple of questions.
You say you use at least a teaspoon of all the spices you listed. That seems a bit much, especially for salt and thyme. Or is it really a “to taste” thing? Also, as a variation, you suggested adding a dozen eggs to make a casserole. That seems like a lot and wouldn’t it end up being more of a quiche?
Whatever, I’m going to try both recipes
All spices are definitely to taste, so start with lower amounts and work up to what works for you. And the texture of the egg one is a mix between a casserole and a quiche but it is much more meat/veggie heavy than most quiches so I call it a casserole.
This was easy and fast – my family loved it, thanks so much.