When it comes to comfort food, there’s really nothing like mac and cheese, one of those dishes you might miss on the keto diet. We had to develop a low-carb version of a three cheese “noodle” bake, our
grown-up take on mac and cheese. Replacing wheat noodles with zucchini noodles was a given, so now we could focus on the flavor profile. We treated ground chicken with sausage flavorings: pepper
flakes, ground fennel seeds, and garlic.
Then it was time to develop the sauce. We melted tangy blue cheese and salty, nutty Parmesan in heavy cream, finishing the sauce with minced chives. We tossed the
noodles and chicken with the sauce in the pan and topped the mixture with our third cheese, mozzarella. Finally, we put the pan under the broiler until the cheese was bubbly and golden.
The best part of this dish, other than eating it, is that it can be made in one pan, so it’s easy to quickly throw together and makes a delicious and dinner for two. We prefer to spiralize our own zucchini, but
you can substitute 1 pound of store-bought spiralized zucchini, though they tend to be drier and less flavorful. Avoid buying large zucchini, which have thicker skins and more seeds. Be sure to use ground chicken, not ground chicken breast (also labeled 99 percent fat free) in this recipe.
Directions :
- Using spiralizer, cut zucchini into ⅛-inch-thick noodles, then cut noodles into 12-inch lengths. (You should have 1 pound zucchini noodles after spiralizing; reserve any extra noodles for another use.)
- Microwave zucchini in covered bowl until almost softened, about 4 minutes, tossing halfway through microwaving. Transfer zucchini to paper towel–lined plate and thoroughly pat dry.
- Heat oil, garlic, fennel, and pepper flakes in 10-inch broiler-safe skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes; transfer to bowl.
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Add cream, salt, and pepper to now-empty skillet and bring to simmer over medium heat. Whisking constantly, gradually add blue cheese and Parmesan, and cook until cheese has melted and sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1 tablespoon chives.
- Add zucchini and chicken mixture to sauce and gently toss to coat. Spread zucchini into even layer and top with mozzarella. Transfer skillet to broiler and broil until mozzarella is melted and spotty brown, about 6 minutes. Let zucchini noodles cool slightly, then sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve.
Zucchini Cheese Noodles And Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 zucchini 8 ounces each, ends trimmed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 ounces ground chicken
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 2 ounces blue cheese crumbled (½ cup)
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese grated (½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives divided
- 2 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced thin and patted dry
Instructions
- Using spiralizer, cut zucchini into ⅛-inch-thick noodles, then cut noodles into 12-inch lengths. (You should have 1 pound zucchini noodles after spiralizing; reserve any extra noodles for another use.)
- Microwave zucchini in covered bowl until almost softened, about 4 minutes, tossing halfway through microwaving. Transfer zucchini to paper towel–lined plate and thoroughly pat dry.
- Heat oil, garlic, fennel, and pepper flakes in 10-inch broiler-safe skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes; transfer to bowl.
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Add cream, salt, and pepper to now-empty skillet and bring to simmer over medium heat. Whisking constantly, gradually add blue cheese and Parmesan, and cook until cheese has melted and sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1 tablespoon chives.
- Add zucchini and chicken mixture to sauce and gently toss to coat. Spread zucchini into even layer and top with mozzarella. Transfer skillet to broiler and broil until mozzarella is melted and spotty brown, about 6 minutes. Let zucchini noodles cool slightly, then sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve.