Ingredients
| Water | 6 gallons |
| Pasta, rotini, whole grain, dry | 4 pounds |
| Cream of chicken soup, low-fat, reduced sodium, condensed(9 pounds, 6 ounces) | 9.375 pounds |
| Half and half, fat-free | 3 quarts |
| White pepper, ground | 2 teaspoons |
| Garlic powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Parmesan cheese, grated(1 pound, 1 ounce) | 1.063 pounds |
| Cooked diced chicken, frozen, thawed, ½ inch pieces(6 pounds, 8 ounces) | 6.5 pounds |
Instructions
- Heat water to a rolling boil.
- Slowly add pasta. Stir constantly, until water boils again. Cook about 8 minutes or until al dente; stir occasionally. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Drain well.
- Pour into steam table pans (12” x 20” x 4”). For 50 servings, use 2 pans. For 100 servings, use 4 pans.Critical Control Point: Hold pasta at 135 °F or higher.
- Combine soup, half and half, pepper, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and chicken. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring often.Critical Control Point: Heat to 165 °F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
- Combine noodles and sauce immediately before serving.
- Critical Control Point: Hold for hot service at 135 °F or higher.
Recipe Notes
Keep noodles and sauce separate until serving time to maintain consistency of sauce. Sauce will thicken upon standing.
The Van Buren Middle School recipe challenge team initially developed nine recipes for testing. From these recipes, five were prepared and served to approximately 500 students. Students were asked to vote for their favorite two recipes and provide comments. The team submitted two recipes to the Recipes for Healthy Kids Competition, and the Chicken Alfredo With a Twist recipe proved to be a winner! The team felt that the experience was an excellent way to gain student support and to market healthy choices for the lunch menu.
This recipe saves on fat and calories by using fat-free half and half, and boosts the fiber content by incorporating whole grains, using whole-grain rotini instead of traditional fettuccine noodles. These ‘twists’ make this a healthy alternative to the classic chicken alfredo that students will surely delight in eating.