Dinner

Dairy-free Chicken Alfredo over Zoodles

White baking dish with Dairy-Free Chicken Alfredo with Zoodles overhead shot.

Craving Chicken Alfredo but don’t do dairy, and cutting the carbs? Make this Dairy-free Chicken Alfredo over Zoodles! It’s creamy and packed with flavor, and you can prep it ahead of time! Plus, this chicken alfredo dish is low-carb, gluten-free, Paleo, and Keto.

Dairy-free chicken alfredo with zoodles on black plate.

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Everyone loves the classic Chicken Alfredo pasta. While no substitute is going to trick you into thinking it’s the real, honest to goodness, cheesy version, this Dairy-free Chicken Alfredo over Zoodles will absolutely satisfy that creamy pasta craving!

The secret to making this extra special Dairy-free Chicken Alfredo is to add layers of extra flavor by marinating the chicken breasts in The Best Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade.

Even if it’s only for 30 minutes, you will ensure that your chicken breasts are tender and flavorful, enhancing the creamy, dairy-free alfredo sauce and livening up the mellow zucchini flavor of the zoodles.

Overhead shot with pan of browned chicken and white baking dish with zoodles on wood table.

MAKING DAIRY-FREE CHICKEN ALFREDO OVER ZOODLES

Step 1 – Make the sauce

This dairy-free alfredo sauce has very few ingredients and takes no time to make at all, but the flavor is so creamy and rich, and you can’t even taste the coconut in it!

If you are just doing Paleo or Keto and are making this recipe for the grain-free, low carb aspect, then you can sub the coconut milk in this recipe with regular half and half or heavy cream, which would make the sauce even more rich.

PRO TIP:
When a recipe calls for coconut milk, make things extra creamy by using canned coconut milk as opposed to the kind you find in a carton for your cereal. The canned version is going to contain part of the cream from the coconut, and it’s going to be thicker and richer!

To make this dairy-free alfredo, all you do is cut the cauliflower into florets and quarter half an onion. Smash a garlic clove while you’re at it, but keep it whole. Then steam the cauliflower, onion and garlic clove together until soft, about 10 minutes. Place the steamed veg into your high powered blender (I swear by my Vitamix) and add the coconut milk or cream and salt and pepper.

Blend until very smooth, and that’s it!

  • Half a peeled yellow onion on black background.
  • Quartered half of a peeled yellow onion on black board.
  • One peeled garlic clove on black background.
  • Steamed cauliflower and onion in vitamix container.
  • Can of Sprouts brand unsweetened coconut milk.
  • Dairy-free alfredo sauce in a vitamix blender container.

Step 2 – Cook the chicken

Here’s what makes this Dairy-free Chicken Alfredo so special – I marinate the chicken breasts in my recipe for The Best Lemon Garlic Chicken! The flavor combo of the tender chicken breasts with the creamy, rich sauce is so so good, you guys. You can definitely skip this marinating step, and I’ll tell you how to do that, but I wouldn’t if I were you!

If you don’t marinate your chicken breasts, then you’ll just want to season each side with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and paprika for flavor.

Then, with whatever chicken breasts you are using, heat a large pan over medium/high heat with some oil and cook the chicken breasts for 8-10 minutes on each side until they are just cooked through.

These chicken breasts are going to finish in the oven, so you don’t want to dry them out, but the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken breast should reach 160 degrees. It will finish cooking that final 5 degrees to doneness in the oven.

Landscape image of lemon garlic chicken breasts searing in a pan, still raw.
Landscape image of browned lemon garlic chicken breasts in a pan.

Step 3 – Make the zoodles

The trick to making zoodles is in sizing your zucchini right to begin with. Start with the largest zucchini you can find. Trim the ends and then cut it in half. You want to work with compact, manageable portions.

  • Landscape image of three large zucchini on black background.
  • Landscape of halved zucchini on black background.

I have the this KichenAid Spiralizer Attachment which comes with three different spiralizing sizes and also cores in the process, which I love.

If your spiralizer does not core the zucchini, you will want to discard those zoodles because the center is pulpy and soft.

  • Landscape of spiralizer attachment on kitchenaid stand mixer.
  • Zucchini on spiralizer attached to silver kitchenaid stand mixer.
  • Close up of blade and end of zucchini on spiralizer.

You can do this spiralizing process ahead of time and then keep the zoodles in a zip top bag or air tight container, wrapped in paper towels to absorb moisture, in the fridge for 3 days.

But once you know what you’re doing with your particular spiralizer, this process is easy and can be done while you’re cooking the chicken breasts.

  • Front angle of zucchini being spiralized on silver kitchenaid.
  • Overhead close up of zucchini being spiralized into white bowl.
  • Core of zucchini left after being spiralized.

Step 4 – Put it together

While your oven is preheating, spread the zoodles out on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

Place the chicken breasts on top of the zoodles and pour any pan juices over the top of the chicken.

Pour some dairy-free alfredo sauce over each chicken breast, and then pour the rest around the edges over the zoodles.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, just to finish the chicken and warm up those zoodles.

Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees to be completely cooked through and safely consumed.

  • Pan juiced being poured over browned chicken breasts on zoodles in white casserole dish.
  • Dairy-free alfredo chicken over zoodles in white dish before baking.

TO PREP THIS DAIRY-FREE CHICKEN ALFREDO OVER ZOODLES AHEAD OF TIME

There are a few different ways you could prepare this meal ahead of time to finish off later.

  1. Spiralize the zucchini, marinate the chicken in The Best Lemon Garlic Marinade, cut the veg for the sauce, and leave it all in the fridge to cook later. A great option for Sunday meal prep!
  2. Prepare the dish up to step 4, but don’t bake it. Cover it with foil and leave in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat it, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and heat for 20 minutes covered in foil, then remove the foil and heat for an additional 10-20 minutes, until the chicken is completely heated through. This step works better if you use chicken cutlets. Check out this great how to from Serious Eats on how to turn chicken breasts into cutlets!
  3. Finish the dish completely and then portion out into lunch containers to take with you all week!
White baking dish with Dairy-Free Chicken Alfredo with Zoodles overhead shot.
Dairy-free chicken alfredo with zoodles on black plate on brown table with baking dish at top.
Close up of zoodles on black plate.
Bite cut out of dairy-free chicken alfredo with zoodles on black plate, white baking dish in background.

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  • Dairy-free Chicken Alfredo over Zoodles

    Yields Serves 4

    Craving Chicken Alfredo but don't do dairy, & cutting the carbs? Make this Dairy-free Chicken Alfredo over Zoodles! It's low-carb, gluten-free, Paleo, and Keto.

    20 minPrep Time

    20 minCook Time

    40 minTotal Time

    Save RecipeSave Recipe
    Print Recipe

    5 based on 1 review(s)

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups cauliflower florets
    • 1/2 medium onion, peeled and quartered
    • 1 large garlic clove
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 1/2 cup coconut milk or cream
    • 3 large zucchini
    • *4 marinated Lemon Garlic Chicken Breasts OR 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
    • Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

    Instructions

      SEE STEP-BY-STEP WITH PICTURES IN BODY OF POST FOR CLARIFICATIONS
      Make the dairy-free alfredo sauce
    1. Place the cauliflower florets, quartered half of onion, and peeled and smashed garlic clove(s) in a steamed basket over water in a pot. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Steam for 10 minutes.
    2. Transfer steamed cauliflower, onion and garlic to a high powered blender. Add salt, pepper and coconut milk. Put on the lid and blend until very smooth. Set aside.
      3. Cook chicken (see notes for make ahead option)
    3. If using my recipe for Lemon Garlic Chicken then simply heat a large skillet with some oil over medium/high heat and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side. Chicken should register a temperature of 160 degrees in the thickest part, as it will finish cooking in the oven.
    4. If using plain boneless, skinless chicken breasts: season both sides with salt, pepper and paprika, then heat a large skillet with some oil over medium/high heat and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side. Chicken should register a temperature of 160 degrees in the thickest part, and it will finish cooking in the oven.
    5. These chicken breasts are going to finish in the oven, so you don't want to dry them out, but the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken breast should reach 165 degrees when completely done cooking.
      6. Make zucchini noodles
    6. Use your spiralizer to make zoodles. If your spiralizer does not remove the core of the zucchini for you, you may want to discard that part, as it is very pulpy and can cause your zoodles to be watery when baked.
      7. Put it all together
    7. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
    8. Place the zoodles in the bottom of a baking dish and place the chicken breasts on top. Pour some dairy-free alfredo sauce over each chicken breast and then pour the extra around on the zoodles.
    9. Bake for 20 minutes, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot!

    Notes

    1. *This dish is made even more flavorful when you use my marinated chicken breasts from my recipe for Lemon Garlic Chicken . You could substitute plain boneless, skinless chicken breasts, though.

    2. If you want to prep this dish ahead of time, put the dish together but let cool, cover and put in the fridge before baking. When ready to eat, bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes, covered, then another 10 minutes, uncovered. This heating time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Serve hot!

    3. If prepping ahead and leaving in the fridge before a final bake, I suggest you use chicken cutlets instead of whole chicken breasts. See option 2 of "how to prep ahead of time" in the post body for a link to a great DIY on turning your chicken breasts into cutlets.

    Tags

    Diet
    Paleo
    Keto
    Whole 30
    dairy free
    gluten free
    grain free
    7.8.1.2
    183
    https://thecheerfulkitchen.com/dairy-free-chicken-alfredo-over-zoodles/
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