Name: Chicken Alfredo with Zucchini Ribbons
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each); 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 4 pieces thinly sliced skinless boneless chicken breast cutlets (1 pound total); 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 12 ounces fettuccine pasta, preferably whole wheat; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; 1 cup cold low-fat (1%) milk; 1/2 cup evaporated skim milk (not condensed milk); 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Image may contain Food Dish Meal Bowl Plant and Pasta

Chicken Alfredo with Zucchini RibbonsQuentin Bacon

Fettuccine Alfredo, with its ribbons of pasta coasted in a luxurious cheese sauce, is the very definition of decadent comfort. This recipe is all that—redefined. Zucchini ribbons mingle harmoniously with the noodles, allowing a big serving, healthfully. The sauce is made creamy with thickened milk but kept full flavored with plenty of real, fresh grated cheese.

Recipe notes

Halloumi Lasagna

In this lasagna, soft layers of pasta and béchamel are interspersed with a rich tomato sauce laden with hearty Mediterranean vegetables.

Tortellini in Preserved Lemon Brodo

A quick-fix dinner thanks to store-bought tortellini and chicken broth.

Sofrito Bolognese

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Spaghetti)

Spaghetti is a common variation in modern Thai cooking. It’s so easy to work with and absorbs the garlicky, spicy notes of pad kee mao well.

Spaghetti With Cabbage, Pancetta, and Calabrian Chile

Cabbage is the unsung hero of the winter kitchen—available anywhere, long-lasting in the fridge, and super-affordable. It’s also an excellent partner for pasta.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Spaghetti With Poblano Chile Sauce

Mexican pasta probably isn’t something you’ve thought about before, but this poblano sauce may have you rethinking your devotion to the red variety.