creamy chicken and kale alfredo

There are a lot of awesome companies out there that I get to work with thanks to this blog, but Chobani ranks among my favorites. Not only are they super generous with samples, giveaways, and philanthropy, but their products are also incredible. While they aren’t organic (bummer) they do use only all-natural ingredients and the quality is absolutely top-notch. Their 2% plain yogurt is one of my kitchen staples. I eat it plain. I eat it topped with berries and honey. I use it in sauces. I use it in smoothies. It’s definitely one of my signature ingredients.

So that’s why I let out a little squeal of joy when this box of goodness showed up on my doorstep right before Christmas. Six giant tubs of 0% plain, 2% and 0% vanilla? Score! What an awesome Christmas gift!

I knew I had to whip up something extra special to use up some of my yogurt. For a while now, I’d been thinking about making a Greek yogurt alfredo sauce recipe. I have a cream tomato based sauce using Greek yogurt in my Penne Rosa recipe (which is the most popular recipe on my blog, by the way). And I have an alfredo sauce in my Fettucine Alfredo with Asparagus recipe, but I figured I could do even better. So I combined those ideas and made a Greek yogurt alfredo sauce that is out of this world! It’s rich and thick, but also packed with protein.

We received a big beautiful bunch of kale in our CSA last week and I thought it might be a perfect little healthy addition to an alfredo pasta. I think the green, earthy kale is a really nice balance to the richness of the cheesy, creamy sauce. Plus, you get your salad and pasta all in one bowl! I love that even streamed kale retains some of its “chew” but if you aren’t a fan, you can easily sub in baby spinach for a less chewy, but equally healthy option.

I also added some sautéed chicken breast to the mix to add a little more protein and…umph…but honestly, the sauce is so incredibly flavorful, that you could probably leave out the chicken and never notice it. Even if you don’t make this whole dish, the alfredo sauce is definitely a keeper. Put it in lasagna. Spread it on pizza. Use it as a dipping sauce. Yum! Thanks for the inspiration, Chobani!

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Creamy Chicken and Kale Alfredo

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

This yogurt alfredo sauce is rich and thick, but also a lot lighter on the calorie count and packed with protein.

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Ingredients

• 13 ounces whole wheat pasta (I used angel hair)
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• Extra Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, line colander with the kale. Drain pasta over the kale and return both the kale and pasta to cooking pot, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. The steam from the pasta will continue to wilt the kale. Set aside.
2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in minced garlic and cook until tender and fragrant, about four minutes. Add in chicken broth, bring to a boil.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and arrowroot or cornstarch. Add mixture to the chicken broth, reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Turn off heat, slide pot over to a cool burner and whisk in the shredded Parmesan cheese until melted. Let rest 5 minutes, then whisk in the Greek yogurt (if you do it before it's cooled down a little, the yogurt will turn grainy). Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour sauce into the pot with the pasta and kale and toss to coat, adding in some of the reserved pasta water if the mixture is too dry. Plate and top with chopped chicken and shredded Parmesan.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 379Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 456mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 22g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.