Description
A festive fusion of tangy cranberry-orange glazed chicken and creamy Alfredo pasta, offering a rich and elegant dish perfect for holiday dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup fresh cranberries or 3/4 cup canned cranberry sauce
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 8 oz fettuccine or linguine pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup baby spinach or kale (optional)
- 1/2 cup mandarin orange segments (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, and honey. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until cranberries pop and the sauce thickens. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In another saucepan, melt butter and stir in heavy cream. Simmer gently, then whisk in Parmesan until smooth. Add spinach or kale if using and cook until wilted.
- Toss the cooked pasta with Alfredo sauce.
- Place chicken on top of the pasta and spoon cranberry orange glaze over the chicken.
- Garnish with mandarin orange segments if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Substitute turkey for chicken to use holiday leftovers.
- Swap pasta with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice for a low-carb version.
- Garnish with toasted pecans or walnuts for added texture.
- Add red pepper flakes to the glaze for a hint of spice.
- Store chicken and pasta separately for optimal reheating results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with pasta
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 46g
- Cholesterol: 150mg