Pesto Fettuccine Alfredo

Change up your regular Fettuccine Alfredo simply by making it more "green" with basil and spinach!

I imagine that I'm not even close to alone in loving quick, easy, and delicious pasta meals. Fettuccine Alfredo is one of those classic family meals whipped up in less than 30 minutes for a midweek meal.

But what if we take that delicious classic and add basil and spinach? Total yum is what happens.

You can use any fettuccine or spaghetti pasta here. I like to use a fresh tri-colour fettuccine (egg, tomato, and spinach fettuccine) not only to add some extra goodness to the meal, but also because fresh pasta cooks in just 3 minutes, That means dinner is on the table that much quicker.

I've made this Alfredo a little "lighter" than a traditional recipe by using low fat cream (light evaporated cream would also work great!) and by using strong flavored cheeses, meaning that less needs to be added to get the same great flavor. 

 Pesto Fettuccine Alfredo

Serves 4

300 g chicken breast, diced
1 brown onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Cup baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1-2 Tbsp basil pesto
1 Cup cream (I used lite)
1/2 Cup Cheddar, grated
1/2 Cup Parmesan, grated
400 g Fettuccine (I used fresh, found in the chilled section of the supermarket)

1. Heat a dash of oil in a large fry pan. Fry the chicken, onion, and garlic over a medium-high heat until the chicken is browned all over.

2. Add the cream and pesto and allow the mixture to come to a simmer. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

3. While the Alfredo is simmering, cook the fettuccine following the package directions - approximately 3 minutes. Drain and add the cooked fettuccine and cheeses to the cream sauce.

4. Stir in the chopped spinach and mix everything together well. Serve straight from the pan, with extra cheese sprinkled over top.