Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Classic Alfredo sauce socks your system with scary-high amounts of saturated fat from heavy cream and butter. My slimmed-down version gives you the requisite creamy, velvety texture for a fraction of the fat and calories, so this pasta favorite doesn't have to be a once-in-a-blue-moon splurge.

• 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 (8- to 10-ounce) package cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 1 (12- to 14-ounce) package whole wheat linguine or fettuccine
• 1 (12-ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup “ready-to-eat” sun-dried tomatoes, sliced into thin ribbons (see Notes)

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil.
2. While the pasta water is heating, prepare the chicken and mushrooms: Liberally coat a large skillet or sauté pan with oil spray, and preheat it over medium heat.
3. Season the chicken pieces with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Add them to the skillet and sauté until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to large serving bowl (the bowl should be large enough to accommodate the finished dish).
4. Return the skillet to the stove and raise the heat to medium-high. Reapply oil spray, liberally coating the bottom of the skillet. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to the serving bowl with the chicken.
5. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions.
6. While the pasta cooks, prepare the Alfredo sauce: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, cream cheese, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
7. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally with a wire whisk to break up the cream cheese, until the cream cheese is completely melted and the mixture is barely simmering, 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to overheat the mixture because the milk will curdle.
8. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and whisk for 1 minute. Remove the Alfredo sauce from the heat.
9. Drain the pasta, reserving approximately 1 cup of the cooking water.
10. Add the pasta, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, and Alfredo sauce to the chicken and mushrooms, and toss to coat all the ingredients evenly with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. (The sauce will begin to thicken as it stands. If you’d like to thin it out as it cools, add the reserved pasta water in ¼-cup increments until the desired consistency is achieved.)

Serves 5. Serving Size: 2 cups

Because the sauce thickens in the fridge, when reheating leftovers, I recommend you add a splash of water to moisten it; then microwave, and stir before serving.