Chicken Alfredo (Rotisserie Chicken Bechamel)

I love, Love, LOVE Alfredo sauce. My stomach, however, hates it. The high fat content from lots of heavy cream and butter are the main issue here. A solution? Bechamel, also known as White Sauce. It's not as rich as using heavy cream, of course, but the flavors of Parmesan, pepper, and a nice bit of butter are still there, plus the creamy texture remains true. Another plus for using the bechamel method is that's it's a lot cheaper in the end. I love cheaper, too.

This recipe calls for rotisserie chicken, but you can cook cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a skillet with a little olive oil and pepper and maybe even a little garlic powder, if you prefer. I personally use rotisserie chicken, since I usually buy one fairly often to make several meals from when my work weeks get hectic.

Chicken Alfredo

Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients for a basic Bechamel

2 servings	linguine, or other long pasta
2 Tbsp	butter
2 Tbsp	flour (all-purpose)
1 ½ cups	milk
½ cup	Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated or shredded
	pepper, to taste

  



1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water. Set aside.

 2. In a small sauce pot, melt butter on medium heat. One melted, add flour, whisking briskly to combine. Add milk all at once. 

3. Whisk occasionally, being sure to scrape bottom and sides of stuck flour. As sauce thickens, continue to whisk gently, and keep your eyes on the pot. Once sauce begins to bubble, turn heat to low.

4. Add Parmesan, about a tablespoon or two at a time, while whisking briskly. Whisk in pepper, and stir in chicken. Toss with pasta until pasta and chicken are warm (if they were not both already warm), and serve immediately. 

Bad lighting...

...Buon appetito, y'all!

 Tip:
This dish is best if eaten as soon as it's been cooked. It's not the best for leftovers, but if you DO end up having food left over: place leftovers in a microwave safe container. Pour about a tablespoon of milk into the container, and sprinkle a tablespoon or two of Parmesan on top the pasta. Heat about 30 seconds at a time, stirring between heating intervals until desired temperature is reached.