This Dairy Free Chicken Alfredo is creamy and delicious. With lemon, garlic, grilled chicken and asparagus - it's the perfect easy week night meal! A lighter version of an old classic, made dairy free with cashew and coconut cream.
This Dairy Free Chicken Alfredo is an easy week night meal that comes together in just 40 minutes! It is a go-to staple to add into your meal rotation, and one that the whole family will love. In fact, I'm willing to bet that no one is even going to notice that this is dairy free because it's so creamy and delicious!
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Comfort Food
There's nothing like a comforting bowl of Chicken Alfredo. Sometimes, life just calls for comfort food - this past year especially! My comfort food growing up was always cheesy alfredo pasta - my mom makes the best Mac and Cheese!
After finding out that I am dairy and casein intolerant, I've had to find alternatives to my childhood favourites. Honestly I don't feel like I'm missing out at all with this delicious dish. Not to mention, I feel great after eating it!
Dairy Free Alternatives
The two ingredients that are key to making this dairy free chicken alfredo are cashews and coconut milk (the full fat kind)! This combination will make such a creamy sauce, you won't believe it's dairy free. It tastes amazing, and is packed with nutrients. Before I share how to make this dairy free alfredo sauce, here's a little bit of nutrition info about cashews and coconut milk, and why they make great dairy-free alternatives:
Cashews
Did you know that cashews contain 18 g of protein per cup?! Along with 44 g of unsaturated fatty acids - which are so important for maintaining healthy cognitive function, and for reducing any inflammation in the body. Cashews are also rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin. As you may know, serotonin is an anti-depressant hormone which is so important for helping us feel happy! Cashews are also frequently recommended to help lower risk of heart disease, and can be beneficial for reducing stress.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is one of the best sources of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which easy to digest and can potentially boost your brain health and increased energy. Coconut milk is nourishing to your digestive system, and may help manage blood sugar levels (due to the high fat content).
Equipment You'll Need To Make this Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce
- Food processor or high speed blender (I use my blender)
- Large cast iron skillet
- Large pot for boiling pasta
Ingredients you'll need
- 2 chicken breasts
- 320 grams pasta (fettuccini or linguine)
- Cashew coconut cream (made with raw cashews and coconut milk, instructions are below)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 bunch Asparagus (can swap for peas or broccoli if you prefer)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon Lemon pepper seasoning (or make your own with the recipe below!)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Pepper to taste
- Lemon zest to top
Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning
This is totally optional, but if you don't have your own lemon pepper seasoning for the chicken, you can easily make it with just a few spices. In a small ramekin or jar combine:
- Zest from 3-4 lemons
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
How to prepare the Cashew Coconut Cream
In a high speed blender, add 2 cups raw cashews (which have been soaked and drained), along with 1 can of full fat coconut milk (1.5 cups). Blend on high for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
More healthy whole food recipes
Dairy Free Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 320 grams pasta fettuccini or linguine
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1 can full fat coconut milk 1.5 cups
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 bunch Asparagus can swap for peas or broccoli if you prefer
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon Lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Pepper to taste
- Lemon zest to top
Instructions
Prepare the Cashew Coconut Cream
- In a high speed blender, add 2 cups raw cashews (which have been soaked and drained), along with 1 can of full fat coconut milk (1.5 cups). Blend on high for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
For the Dairy Free Chicken Alfredo
- Cook the pasta as per the package instructions. I used fettuccine egg noodles for this recipe.
- Season the chicken breasts with a 1 tablespoon olive oil, and lemon pepper seasoning. Make sure to coat both sides for lots of flavour.
- Pre-heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add ~ 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan before adding in the chicken breasts. Cook the chicken so that it is golden on both sides, and cooked through (internal temp 165ºF). Set the chicken aside to rest on a cutting board.
- You can use the same cast iron skillet for these next steps. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the frying pan on medium heat, and the crushed garlic. Sauté lightly until golden.
- Cut the asparagus into bite-sized chunks, and add into the pan with the garlic and olive oil. Add in the lemon juice as well, and let the asparagus steam until cooked through.
- Once the asparagus is cooked, you can add in the cashew coconut cream that you prepared earlier, stirring constantly. The steps to prepare this (easy!) cashew coconut cream are above.
- Season with sea salt and pepper. You may want to taste the sauce to make sure it is salted to your liking. I find that the cashew coconut milk can be slightly sweet, so it is nice to even it out with sea salt and lemon (to taste)!
- Add the cooked pasta into the pan with the dairy free Alfredo sauce, and toss to combine. Slice the cooked chicken and add to the top to garnish (or mix the chicken in if you prefer).
Please tag me @nourishmintkitchen and share on your IG stories if you make this Dairy Free Chicken Alfredo, I would love to see your creations! For more easy and healthy dinner meals, check out my Roasted Veggie Nourish Bowl, and these Ultimate Beet & Black Bean Burgers!
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