Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta with Baked Chicken

I’d like to say that Inspiralized classifies as a healthy food blog. While I’m not...

Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta and Baked Chicken

I’d like to say that Inspiralized classifies as a healthy food blog. While I’m not preaching every day, I think it’s obvious that I live by some main healthy principles, such as “eat as clean as possible,” “use healthy fats in moderation,” “if it’s going to be a processed carb, have it be whole grain,” and “consume as many vegetables as possible.”

In fact, I don’t cook with dairy milks or creams, white flour or breads, or anything terribly processed. However, I do use cheese in my recipes. Oh, the cheese.

Sounds oxymoronic, right? No, let me explain.

Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta and Baked Chicken

This policy is my version of moderation – eat clean with mainly lean meats and vegetables, while permitting the occasional crumbling of feta. I’m the type of girl that believes in a healthy heart and mind. To achieve this, I try to exercise, eat clean, and indulge in moderation. Simply, cheese keeps me sane. And I’ve given it up before (two years as a vegan, remember?), so I’m not one of those people that says “Oh, I could never give up {insert something indulgent here}“… I’ve done it, I’m just happier this way.

I rarely eat something super cheesy, though. It’s usually a couple tablespoons of some crumbled cotija, a teaspoon of grated parmigiano-reggiano or a cube of swiss. Today, I made something cheesy. But it’s a healthier, lighter version and it’s absolutely outrageously tasty.

Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta and Baked Chicken

For this almond-gouda cheese sauce, I swapped the white flour for wheat and substituted in almond milk for dairy milk and dairy butter for Earth Balance vegan butter. Seems silly, right? Dairy cheese sauce with non-dairy ingredients? Well, it works and creates the unique, amazing nutty cheese flavor! Plus, it cuts down on saturated fats and adds some good-for-you complex carbs in there.

Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta and Baked Chicken

This dish is perfect for an apartment dinner date and you won’t need to worry about shimmying into Spanx beforehand, in preparation. The gouda cheese is light and looks elegant drizzled on top of the bright orange sweet potato noodles. The chicken is lightly seasoned, allowing the gouda and almond flavors to truly shine. Pour a glass of Malbec, put on some Barry Manilow, and let the gouda do the talkin’.

See… isn’t moderation fun?

Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta with Baked Chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 1

Ingredients

  • For the sauce:
  • 1 tbsp vegan butter I prefer Earth Balance
  • 1/4 tsp finely minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp whole wheat flour
  • 3/4-1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup shredded gouda cheese
  • For the rest:
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • 1/2 chicken breast
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pinch oregano flakes
  • 1 medium sweet potato peeled, Blade C
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Coat a baking tray with cooking spray. Place the chicken breast on the tray and drizzle with half of the olive oil. Massage the oil into the chicken and season with salt, pepper and oregano.
  • Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and slice open to see if the meat is white. If it’s still pink, cook for another 5 minutes. If it’s white, remove from the oven and set aside. If you don't want a big slice through your chicken, take out at 25 minutes to be safe.
  • While the chicken is cooking, place a large skillet over medium heat, coat with cooking spray and add in the sweet potato noodles. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and cook for 5-10 minutes, tossing frequently, or until noodles have softened to your preference.
  • Once the noodles are done, place into a bowl or plate and cover with tin foil.
  • Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Once heated, add in the butter and garlic and let fully melt.
  • Add in the flour and blend completely with the vegan butter.
  • Add in the milk and stir constantly until mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add in the cheese and keep stirring until it completely melts. Keep on the heat.
  • Top the sweet potato noodles with the chicken breast.
  • Give the sauce a quick stir and use a ladle or spoon to pour the sauce lightly over the noodles.
  • Enjoy!

Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta and Baked Chicken

Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta and Baked Chicken

Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta and Baked Chicken

Almond-Gouda Sweet Potato Pasta and Baked Chicken

with love, Ali

leave a comment

Recipe Rating




comments

  • Could I sub coconut, almond or another type of flour in for the wheat?
    • Yes, the flour is just to build up a base to make the sauce thick! Any of those would work. Thanks for asking.
  • Just found your blog. A-mazing! The design and photography is beautiful. I've never made veggie noodles, but this all looks delicious. Adding you to my reader : ) Your almond gouda sauce sounds tasty too, yum!
  • In healthy eating, you have to pick and choose your battles in order to stay sane. I choose egg yolks and cheese and give up beef. But to each her own! Love this, btw. That cheese sauce is downright drinkable.
  • This recipe looks AMAZING. I am going to need to buy a spiralizer stat so I can try this one. Keep up the good work! -Gracie
  • went to make this and realized that i bought smoked gouda - which i cant handle anything smoked - so i used a hand full of shredded italian cheese blend and then threw in a few threads of saffron,because i had them and it seemed like a fun thing to do -- AMAZING !!!!! I am absolutely loving my inspiralizer !!
  • Hi Ali! Love, love, love your website! Quick question....are you using a sweet potato or yam? I love both but the beautiful orange color looks more like a yam. Thanks!
  • Wow. Just wow. I found your site through pinterest last week and ordered the Spiralizer! I just got it today and made this dish. Exquisite. I LOVE this recipe and I LOVE my Spiralizer! I've spread the word about your site to my co-workers.
    • Yay, I love when people get excited about spiralizing, so they spread the word! Glad you like my blog and your spiralizer!
  • Made this for late lunch/early dinner today with a couple of tweaks (based on what was in the pantry) and it still came out fantastic! Used almond/coconut milk, coconut flour, real butter and cheddar cheese. This recipe is a winner. I was surprised that the coconut flour did a nice job stretching and expanding to encompass the liquids in a similar way that wheat flour would. I will be making this again!