Baked Chicken Bacon Alfredo

I thought this dish would be a perfect fit for my chicken alfredo and bacon loving Picky Apple, and I was drawn to it because of the homemade alfredo recipe and artichokes.  It’s freezer friendly, so make a big batch and freeze some for later!  I’ll admit that this recipe is deceptively simple.  I made it more complicated than it needed to be since I didn’t have my chicken cooked ahead of time.  I pan sauteed some chicken with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano to use in this recipe.  The homemade alfredo sauce does add some extra steps, but it is SO worth it.  This sauce is delicious even by itself.  Add to that some chicken, bacon, and artichokes, and you’ve got one yummy pasta dish!

Baked Chicken Bacon Alfredo

from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. penne or bowtie pasta
• 1 recipe Guiltless Alfredo Sauce (see recipe below, or use 1 16-oz. jar)
• 2 chicken breasts, grilled and chopped (about 2 c. chopped chicken)
• 6 oz. (1/2 package) cooked bacon, chopped
• 1 14-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 c. chopped green onions (about 1 decent-sized bunch)
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

• 2 C low-fat milk (not skim)
• 1/3 C (3 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 2 T flour
• 1 t salt
• 1 T butter
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 C grated Parmesan cheese

Toss the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender.  Process until smooth and set aside.

In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic.  Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds, you don’t want to burn it. It should be nice and bubbly. Then add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now.

When it’s nice and thick (it should look as thick as a normal alfredo sauce) remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Also, if you have leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken almost into a solid. Just re-heat and add a little milk and it will be back to normal again.