Blackened Chicken Afredo & Chickpea Pasta
Enjoy a pasta that has more protein and fiber than any other pasta!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 box Banza Chickpea Pasta Penne
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3 Tbsp tapioca starch
- 4 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup yellow onion (diced fine)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 Tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
- Handful spinach
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cooking Your Chicken:
- Coat your chicken thighs with your seasoning. Add 1 tbsp. coconut oil to your skillet. When you skillet is hot, place your chicken in the skillet. Allow chicken to cook for a total of 8 minutes. Flip your chicken every 4 minutes. Continue to do this until you have reach 8 minutes. Temperature should be 165 degrees. Remove from skillet and place on a plate.
- Creating Your Sauce: In a skillet, place coconut oil in the skillet. Finely chop your onion and garlic. Add onion first, frequently stirring for 1 minute. Add garlic. Frequently stir for 30 seconds. Start to add your tapioca starch starting with a tablespoon at a time. You want to stir frequently and keep adding starch until it forms into a paste. Add one can coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast. Stir until combined and bring to a boil. The coconut milk will start to thicken as it boils. If your sauce becomes to thick start to add chicken stock a little at a time until you reach the consistency you like. finish it off by your spinach, basil and top with cooked chopped bacon. See my recipe for air-fryer bacon
Cooking Your Pasta:
- Fill a pot with water and 2 tbsp. salt. Add one box of pasta and bring to a boil and cook for 6 minutes. Drain and serve immediately.
Notes
Tip for cooking the pasta: When you add the pasta to the boiling water, make sure it is not a raging boil. Chickpea pasta will boil over very quickly which will leave a film on the pasta to make it taste over cooked. Make sure to take your time and watch that pasta!
Tips for cooking perfect blackened chicken thighs: The secret for creating that perfect, crunchy chicken skin is to make sure your skillet is heated well before placing the chicken in the skillet. If you add it to soon, your chicken skin will soak up all the oil and make your seasoning very wet.
Tips for the sauce: When making this sauce you can replace your coconut milk with unsweetened almond milk. You would just use 8oz almond milk. This recipe needs salt and nutrition yeast so make sure you are generous with both. The nutrition yeast will give you that delicious cheesy flavor.