Creamy garlic zoodles with chicken is such a delicious and healthy meal prep you'll forget about pasta altogether. Gluten-free!
Zoodles are a quick way to mimic pasta without gluten and carbs, which makes them super helpful if you're on a paleo, keto, or gluten-free diet. (This recipe is not paleo, for the record; it has sour cream). And it's no wonder since they are easy to prep, cook quickly, and are fun to eat!
Zucchini has a mild flavor and so the zoodles take on whatever flavor profile you're craving, and right now, we are seriously craving these Creamy Garlic Zoodles with Chicken.
Cook this recipe all in one pan 'cause that's all you need, and that's our favorite way to meal prep. And it's under 400 calories, too, if that's something you're paying attention to.
Creamy Garlic Zoodles with Chicken Ingredients:
- 4–5 medium size zucchini
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast (boneless & skinless)
- 1 cup low-fat sour cream
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper, to taste
How to Make Creamy Garlic Zoodles with Chicken
First off, you'll need a spiralizer. It's a handy little tool that turns zucchini (and sweet potatoes for that matter) into noodles.
It will make short work of this meal prep. Once you have spiralized the zucchini, it's time to cook the chicken in a big skillet with some avocado oil, with the minced garlic. Then, after the chicken has cooked, you add the sour cream, salt, and pepper, along with the water, over very low heat, and you've got an instant sauce!
How to Store and Serve Creamy Garlic Zoodles with Chicken
This recipe stores well for meal prepping and reheats well, too; up to 3 or 4 days in the fridge. Once you've cooked it, just portion it out into airtight meal prep containers and keep it in the fridge.
Reheat it gently over low heat (you don't want to burn the garlic or the sauce) until it's hot all the way through, stirring to redistribute the sauce. You might need to add a little bit of water to thin it out and get the sauce to its proper consistency.
We wouldn't advise freezing any aspects of this meal prep recipe. Between the watery zucchini and the creamy sauce, the texture would suffer. So, just plan to eat it up, and we don't think you'll have trouble with that.
We like serving this with a really big green salad with lots of cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes, and maybe a light vinaigrette to balance out the creamy vibes. A side of steamed veggies such as broccoli or green beans would also work, too.
Substitutions and Alterations
- You can easily make this dish with regular noodles if you like; rice noodles would keep it gluten-free, as would buckwheat (soba) noodles. It would also be delicious over rice. Whether that's brown, white, or cauliflower rice, that's your call.
- Shrimp would taste great in this dish, too, instead of chicken, and it would come together even faster.
- Swap plain Greek yogurt or regular plain yogurt for the sour cream.
- Make the whole dish dairy-free and vegan by using tofu (just make sure to sear it really well), and dairy-free/vegan versions of sour cream or yogurt.
FAQs
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes! This dish is perfect for meal prep and keeps well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Just store it in airtight containers and reheat gently to maintain the sauce’s creamy consistency.
Do I need a spiralizer to make zoodles?
A spiralizer is ideal, but if you don’t have one, you can use a julienne peeler or buy pre-spiralized zucchini from the store to save time.
Can I freeze this recipe?
Freezing is not recommended as the zucchini releases water, which affects the texture of both the zoodles and the sauce when thawed.
What’s the best way to reheat this dish?
Reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water to restore its creamy consistency.
Can I customize the protein?
Absolutely! Shrimp, tofu, or even ground turkey are excellent substitutes for chicken in this recipe.
What are some good side dishes for this recipe?
A crisp green salad with cucumbers and tomatoes or steamed veggies like broccoli or green beans are great complements to this dish.
MORE ZOODLE LOVE!
Ingredients
- 5 medium zucchini
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast cut into cubes
- 1 cup low fat sour cream
- 1 tbsp. garlic minced (about 2-3 cloves)
- 1 tbsp. avocado oil
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp. salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Spiralize your zucchini and separate them into meal prep containers.
- Heat avocado oil in a deep skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the chicken, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and turn the heat to medium, cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until it is no longer pink in the middle (temp should read 165 F).
- In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and water. Turn the heat down and add the sauce to the pan with the chicken. Cook over very low heat for several minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Mix everything in the containers and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat.
Nutrition
Tara Woodruff says
Can this be reheated in the microwave?
Meal Prep on Fleek says
You can, but I would prefer to reheat it on the stove to help some of the water cook out. You'll also have a slightly softer texture if you cook the zoodles in the microwave. If you're ok with that, then go right ahead. 🙂