Buffalo Alfredo Smothered Chicken & Pasta

This recipe is TRUE comfort food. From the creaminess to the sauce, and the crunch and tenderness of the chicken with the chewiness of the pasta- it really is delicious across the board!

Last week my Gluten Free & Dairy Free (plus paleo, egg free, nut free ect. ) Pumpkin Nutmeg Gravy Smothered Chicken & Bacon was a HUGE hit. I was amazed how many people jumped into the kitchen and made it the day it was posted. The crispy breaded chicken in that recipe is a showstopper. So, I used it again in this new DELICIOUS recipe.

This Buffalo Alfredo Smothered Chicken and pasta is ALSO Gluten Free & Dairy Free (plus paleo, egg free & nut free. )

My husband Rich LOVES Buffalo chicken. Several times a week he roasts cauliflower with buffalo sauce on it. I created this recipe with him in mind & he absolutely loved it. I know you will too!

If spicy isn’t your thing don’t worry- its not mine either! The spice of this sauce isn’t overwhelming. The cream & butter really balance it out.

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One Pot Meals are my JAM. With this recipe you have the option of making it a one pot (thats what we did!).

The pasta can cook RIGHT in the alfredo if you want. You will need to add some water or broth to the sauce in order to do this. (The amount varies on the amount and brand of pasta). Essentially you want to make sure the pasta is covered fully- and as it cooks if you find its getting too thick- add more. :) You wont mess it up I promise. The sauce can handle several cups or water or broth as needed.

The only draw back to this is that the pasta continues to soak up the liquid in the pan so eventually it gets soggy. If you are serving this in to your family and anticipate they will eat most of it the day you make it- then its a great idea to throw it right in.

If you plan to have leftovers, then I think its best to cook the pasta separate and store it in its own container and then just add it in with the sauce & chicken when you want to eat some. This will give you a saucier alfredo.

Both options taste great!

For the pasta- many brands will work great. I just suggest opting for one that does not release a ton of starch when its cooking. For example I have found that lentil pasta & and the brand tinkyada joy leave the water in the pot extremely starchy so they would not be a good choice for this recipe. Jovial or Barilla gluten free pasta would be a solid choice.

Silks Dairy Free Heavy cream is AMAZING!! It is popping up at more stores- if you can find it stock up!! So far I have seen it at Whole Foods, Walmart & Fresh Thyme Market. Coconut milk will taste really good in this soup too so if you cant find this product- don’t stress!

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Making the recipe Egg Free & Dairy Free:

For swapping out the eggs: feel free to use a variety of egg subs for the breading process. Dairy Free Milk, Dairy Free unsweetened yogurt, "just egg" would be ideal here. You could also use the starchy liquid from a can of garbanzo or white beans. Sometimes I like to whisk a tbsp of starch in with a cup of milk too- when it gets hot it really helps to glue/hold the breading in place!

My go to dairy free heavy cream these days is made by silk! It comes in a small carton. It tastes the closest to real cream that I have found. Full fat coconut cream will taste great in this too! The good & gather target cans are the best available- they are mostly cream with only a tiny bit of coconut water.

TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE:

Follow the recipe as written. You can use any brand/type of gf breadcrumbs. My go to brand is usually Ian’s. I like their gluten free panko! (that is what we used to make the chicken pictured here!)

TO MAKE PALEO/ GRAIN FREE

Opt for one of the dairy free cream suggestions.

For the breading: just use a flour mix rather than a mix of bread crumbs and flour. I recommend half cassava flour and half potato starch!

For the Alfredo sauce - cassava flour will work perfectly. For the pasta use Cassava Pasta.

Serve with mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice!

TO MAKE KETO:

Use real cream or any of the suggested dairy free options.

For the breading: the absolute best fried chicken I have made low carb was a mixture of lupin flour and garbanzo bean flour. So that’s what I would personally do. Pork rind bread crumbs are also an option too! Most people think of almond flour first for breading and while it does work - it burns quickly. So I use that as a last resort option.

For the gravy:

Since the pasta is omitted you wont need nearly as much of the buffalo alfredo sauce. I would cut that amount in half.

Almond flour is my favorite thickener for low carb/keto gravies. You could also increase the amount of pumpkin or squash purée too! Garbanzo bean flour would work great too.

Serve with spaghetti squash, mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice.

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Typically I use my 12 inch Le Creuset braiser for all recipes of this kind! (I LOVE THAT THING.) It’s one of my most used pots.

But this week I ordered a new Cuisinart Cast Iron 12 Inch Chicken Fryer.. and just wow wow wow is it a functional pan. The inside of not covered in enamel so therefore you can develop a nonstick surface. The outside is covered in enamel making it a gorgeous pot. Throw in the lid & this pan can be used for a million things. I especially love how deep it is. I will be using it for gluten free bread recipes too.

Yes, its a splurge- but I cant recommend it enough. I have found that cuisinart enameled cast iron performs exactly the same as the most expensive brands.

You can check that pot out here!

You can also just use a sauce pan. Don’t stress if a fancy pan isn’t in the budget. The recipe will taste amazing no matter what.

Dairy Free Buffalo Alfredo Smothered Chicken & Pasta

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Author: Brittany Angell

Prep time: 8 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 33 Min

Ingredients

Fried Chicken

• 1 lb Chicken Tenders ( Pounded out thin)
• 2 Large Eggs or Egg Replacer
• 1/2 Cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 Tsp Himalayan Salt
• 1/2 Black Pepper
• Oil for Frying

Buffalo Alfredo Sauce

• 2 Cups Real Heavy Cream or Silks Dairy Free Heavy Cream
• 1 Stick of Dairy Free/ Vegan Butter or Real Butter
• 6 Tbsp Franks Red Hot
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
• 6 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
• 2 Tsp Himalayan Salt 
• 1 Tsp Black Pepper
• 2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 Tsp Chili Powder
• 1 Box or Bag of Gluten Free Pasta (around 12 ounces)

Instructions

Buffalo Alfredo Smothered Chicken and Pasta

1. In a 12 inch braiser or pot heat up enough oil to cover the chicken while frying. 
2. Pound out the chicken so that it ends up in a thinner even layer. (This makes a big difference in the tenderness of the chicken.)
3. As the oil heats up, mix the eggs in one bowl and in other bowl combine the flour, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and then into the flour mix. Be sure to press the flour into the chicken tenders to ensure full coverage on each piece.
4. Fry each chicken tender in the oil until it becomes golden brown on both sides. Remove the tenders, place on paper towels to drain the oil, and set aside for later.
5. Place the same large (cleaned out) pan on medium heat & melt the butter inside the pan and then mix in the flour to create a roux. Gradually add the heavy cream while mixing until the roux is fully combined. Begin adding Frank's red hot, chicken broth, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder. Once everything is combined add the pasta into the buffalo sauce to cook. Stirring continuously so it does not stick (add extra water or broth here if it gets too thick!) After the pasta is tender add the chicken in and serve.  (Add more salt if needed.)

Notes:

Depending on the brand of pasta used- & the quantity the sauce may get too thick. Feel free to add up to 2-3 cups of water or broth to get it to a thinner consistency.

When it comes to the consistency of the sauce you have options. If you prefer a creamier alfredo that the pasta does not absord- cook your pasta in a separate and stir it in.

If you want the pasta to soak up a lot of the sauce cook the pasta right in the pot (and add water/broth as needed).

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