Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
• 0.25 cup flour (Fit Flour or regular flour)
• 2 eggs (large)
• 1.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 0.5 cup freshly grated parmesan (for chicken coating)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (divided (used for chicken seasoning and coating))
• 1 tbsp garlic powder (divided (used for chicken seasoning and coating))
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• 0.25 cup honey
• 0.25 cup hot sauce
• 8 oz protein fettuccine pasta
• 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 0.5 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 0.5 cup freshly grated parmesan (for alfredo sauce)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon
• 1 tbsp light butter
• 0.25 cup skim milk
• 0.75 cup pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta; use 1/2 to 3/4 cup)

Steps

1. 1

   Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

2. 2

   Prepare the dredging station: place flour in one bowl, beaten eggs in a second, and a mixture of panko, parmesan, parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a third.

3. 3

   Dredge each chicken thigh in the flour, dip into the egg, and then coat thoroughly in the panko mixture.

4. 4

   Air fry the chicken at 400°F (200°C) for 14–16 minutes, flipping the thighs halfway through the cooking time.

5. 5

   While the chicken cooks, add honey and hot sauce to a pan over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened.

6. 6

   Once the chicken is done, toss the crispy thighs in the hot honey sauce until well coated.

7. 7

   Cook the protein fettuccine according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve at least 3/4 cup of the starchy pasta water.

8. 8

   In a blender, combine the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, parmesan, garlic cloves, chicken bouillon, and skim milk. Blend until completely smooth.

9. 9

   Melt the light butter in a skillet over low heat.

10. 10

    Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the blended yogurt and cheese mixture.

11. 11

    Slowly whisk in the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches a creamy consistency. CRITICAL: Do NOT let the sauce boil or simmer after adding the yogurt mixture, as the high heat will cause it to curdle.

12. 12

    Toss the cooked pasta with the alfredo sauce and serve immediately topped with the hot honey chicken.

Notes

To prevent the sauce from curdling, ensure you remove the skillet from the heat before adding the yogurt/cottage cheese mixture and never let it return to a boil. The author notes this recipe is a result of trial and error regarding sauce stability.

Nutrition per serving

• high-protein
• low-calorie
• main course
• air-fried
• pasta
• chicken thighs
• alfredo