Description
Creamy, comforting, and dairy-free, this Dairy-Free Chicken Alfredo uses coconut milk and nutritional yeast to create a luscious sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a quick and satisfying dinner that caters to dairy-sensitive, gluten-free, and customizable dietary needs.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Pasta
- 8 ounces gluten-free or regular pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or penne)
Sauce
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips or bite-sized pieces to ensure quick, even cooking. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper while cooking, then set aside.
- Cook the pasta: While the chicken cooks, boil the pasta in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining to help loosen the sauce later if needed.
- Make the dairy-free Alfredo sauce: In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the minced garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Pour in the full-fat coconut milk and stir in nutritional yeast. Let the mixture simmer gently for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly and develops a creamy consistency. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Combine everything: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the creamy sauce. Add the drained pasta and stir gently to combine, adding reserved pasta water bit by bit if the sauce needs loosening. Cook together for another minute so the flavors meld beautifully.
- Garnish and serve: Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for color and freshness. Serve hot and enjoy your cozy, dairy-free comfort meal!
Notes
- Use full-fat coconut milk for a rich, velvety sauce texture.
- Don’t overcook the chicken to keep it juicy and tender.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency without diluting flavor.
- Use fresh minced garlic for authentic Alfredo aroma instead of garlic powder.
- Adjust salt carefully as nutritional yeast adds saltiness to the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg