Skinny Chicken Alfredo with Fresh Garlic Bread and Caprese Skewers

So it was my work husband’s birthday and I wanted to make dinner for us and a few co-workers. Work husband another one that loves whenever I cook for him. I’ve gone to hang out countless times and whipped something up with whatever he had in the fridge, but since it was his birthday, I figured I’d make something he requested. I chose a “skinny” version so it wouldn’t be so heavy with our after dinner “partying”. This makes about enough for six to eight people, depending on their appetites. For us, it barely served 6 because they were all hungry guys who normally don’t get a home cooked meal.

Caprese Skewers 

Ingredients: 

• 48 Cherry tomatoes
• 48 Basil leaves
• 2 Balls Fresh mozzarella, diced to similar size as tomatoes
• ¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• ¼ cup EVOO
• 48 Toothpicks

Directions:

• Mix balsamic vinegar, garlic and EVOO in bowl and set aside.
• Skewer mozzarella then one basil leaf then tomato onto each toothpick.
• Drizzle balsamic dressing over all the skewers.

Fresh Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 Fresh French loaf 
• 1 Roasted garlic bulb (Cut the top off of the garlic bulb, drizzle with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 450 degree toaster oven for 30 minutes)
• 6 Tbsp. Butter (use butter that is room temperature so it’s easily mixable)
• 1 Tbsp. Dried Parsley
• 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp. EVOO

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Slice French loaf on the bias for ¼ to ½ inch slices.
• Place on cookie sheet and place in oven for approximately 5-8 minutes, until slightly crispy.
• Mix roasted garlic, butter, parsley, parmesan cheese and EVOO until thoroughly combined.
• After bread is toasted, remove from oven and spread butter mixture on each piece then serve.

Skinny Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 1 ½lbs Fettuccine pasta (If I had been cooking at my house I would’ve used fresh, but sometimes boxed dried pasta is just too convenient)
• 4 Chicken Breasts (I butterfly them so they’ll cook quicker, plus they’ll be sliced anyways)
• Salt and Pepper
• ½ cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, julienned 
• 2 Tbsp. Philadelphia Cream Cheese with Chives (Have at room temperature)
• 1 Tbsp. Butter
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1½ cup Skim Milk
• 4 green onions, sliced thinly on the bias
• 2 Tbsp. EVOO

Directions:

• Heat EVOO in large pan on medium high heat.
• Heat a large pot of water to bring to boil.
• After butterflying, season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
• Cook until cooked, approximately 4 minutes per side, remove from heat and keep in foil until later.
• Add pasta to water.
• In same pan as the chicken was cooked, add butter and melt.
• Next add the cream cheese until melted and incorporated.
• Add milk and bring to simmer then add parmesan cheese.
• Let simmer for 5 minutes and slice chicken. Add chicken and sun dried tomatoes to the sauce.
• Drain pasta and add to sauce. Toss to coat.
• Top with green onions and serve.

The nice thing about this “skinny” version is that it cuts out the heavy whipping cream, but the cream cheese adds the creaminess that any Alfredo sauce needs and a slight zing-y flavor.