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Are you a fan of flavor? One of the greatest pasta dishes to have been created has to be Chicken Tequila Fettuccine! I’m not typically a huge fan of most Italian pastas, largely due to the amount of pasta or cream over anything else. However, a nice flavorful vongole with clams or a homemade spaghetti is absolute comfort in a bowl. But, Chicken Tequila Fettuccine brings flavor unlike any other Italian dish out there, if you would even call it Italian. This “fusion” of flavors combines a hint of Mexican (with the tequila, cilantro and lime) and Asian (with cilantro and tamari or coconut aminos) all in one dish!

Ready for a Making a Reduction?
For those of you wondering what that cooking term “reduction” means, you’ll get to experience using this culinary technique in this recipe. A reduction is essentially the thickening of a sauce by boiling or simmering off about half the liquid used. This tends to intensify the flavor of a sauce, which you’ll do when you cook off much of the alcohol from the tequila, lime, and cilantro ingredients.

If You’re Lactose Intolerant…
If you’re lactose intolerant, like I am to a certain degree (lots of butter and cream are not usually my friends), you’ll aways want to find out what type and how much dairy gives you that uncomfortable feeling, as bloating and gas are signs of fermentation of food going on in the gut. We don’t want this going on, especially if many of us are already dealing with a chronic inflammatory condition, such as endometriosis. These sufferers tend to have more sensitivity to gastrointestinal mobility. In most anti-inflammatory diets, dairy is actually not used at all (also partly due to the saturated fat content), which is why I tend to limit it in my clean keto diet. However note, some people actually have a better tolerance to a clean organic, unpasteurized, raw form of dairy, since the good bacteria has not be killed off in the pasteurization process. And, ironically, I believe California is one of the only U.S. states that allows grocers to sell raw milk or cream dairy products.

If You’re Eating Lectin Free…
Well, who says you need to use peppers in this dish. If you swap out the peppers, including any red chili flakes and even black pepper (which by the way, isn’t somehow considered a lectin but a nightshade), you can always use fresh mushrooms slices and sub any chopped jalapeños with a little bit of cayenne pepper for the small amount of heat in this recipe. According to a Feb 7, 2018 Twitter post by Steven Gundry, MD, cayenne pepper is okay to use in lectin-free cooking.

Did You Try This Recipe?
If you get a chance to try this recipe, please consider leaving a comment or review! This helps me improve my recipes and get to hear what areas of cooking you need help with or would like to see more of. (And, for those of you Ketolicious Eats San Diego bake shop customers in the San Diego area, I provide incentives for your honest reviews on not only baked goods, but recipes like this!) As always, I appreciate and thank you for choosing to cook with Ketolicious Eats!

Note: Most of the carbs in this dish will come from vegetables. (This recipe was edited to simplify content on 8/9/2022.)

Chicken Tequila Fettuccine

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by J. Irish, Ketolicious Eats Course: DinnerCuisine: Italian + Asian FusionDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

For those of you eating clean, learning how to make your own nearly dairy-free and grain-free pasta dish is always a good option to avoid tummy troubles! And, now you can enjoy just that with this Chicken Tequila Fettuccine at home!

Approximate macros per serving (using Cronometer) using Shirataki noodles:
498 calories | 45.1g protein | 8.6 net carbs | 22g fat

Ingredients

Tequila Reduction + Sauce
1.5 ounces 1.5 fresh organic cilantro, chopped (this is about 2/3 of a bunch; use 2/3 for the reduction and the remaining for a garnish)
2 tablespoons 2 garlic, minced
2 tablespoons 2 jalapeño peppers (this amounts to about 1-1/2 jalapeños), or a small can of green chilis will work if that’s what you have
2 tablespoons 2 pasture-raised ghee, or dairy-free substitute such as avocado or filtered coconut oil
1 cup 1 organic free-range chicken bone broth
3 tablespoons 3 tequila (I like using Tequila Gold)
3 tablespoons 3 organic lime juice (this is approximately 1-1/2 medium limes)
1/4 cup 1/4 organic pasture-raised cream cheese (I like the Green Valley Creamery brand “spread” rather than block version), 5.3 oz pasture-raised plain Greek yogurt, OR a completely dairy-free substitute you enjoy
1/2 cup 1/2 organic full-fat coconut milk, OR organic pasture-raised heavy whipping cream if you are not lactose intolerant (the picture displayed used Greek yogurt and full-fat coconut milk)
Sautéed Ingredients
1-1/2 – 2 pounds 1-1/2 – 2 organic free-range or pastured chicken breasts, cut into 3/4″ bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons 3 soy-free coconut aminos
1 teaspoon 1 non-GMO xanthan gum powder (Note: This is one processed ingredient I do occasionally use as a thickener in sauces.)
1 1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced thinly
1/4 1/4 medium red or yellow onion
1 tablespoon 1 pasture-raised ghee, or dairy-free substitute such as avocado or filtered coconut oil (filtered coconut oil has no coconut flavor)
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 black pepper
Other Ingredients
21 ounces 21 Shirataki fettuccine noodles, cooked and drained (I like using Thrive Market’s shirataki macaroni noodles; use this link to get a special offer as a new member); or use Cappello’s fettuccine grain-free almond flour pasta, if you’re eating Paleo
.5 or more ounces .5 or more cilantro, chopped, for added flavor and/or a garnish
red chili flakes for a light seasoning prior to serving, optional

directions

Prepare the noodles as instructed on the packaging.
In a large skillet, sauté the chopped jalapeño pepper, cilantro and ghee (or dairy-free substitute such as avocado or coconut oil), over medium heat for roughly 4 to 5 minutes. Then add the bone broth, tequila, and lime juice. Next, you’ll want to bring it to a boil and cook to a reduced, almost paste-like sauce. Then, set aside.
Now, in a medium-sized baking dish, add your cut chicken, coconut aminos, non-GMO xanthan gum powder (thickener), black pepper, and garlic, and mix well. Then set aside.
Then, in a medium-sized skillet, add the last tablespoon of ghee (or dairy-substitute, ie., avocado, coconut oil, or filtered butter-flavored coconut oil), onions, and bell peppers. Sauté until the peppers have wilted. Then set aside.
Now, go back to your large skillet or sauté pan with the tequila reduction and add all the meat and marinade juices. Sauté until the meat is browned.
Then add to the large skillet your full-fat coconut milk, Greek yogurt, or other dairy-free yogurt option, and bring to a boil. Your sauce will slowly thicken. As it thickens, toss in your cooked noodles, and then turn down the heat to a simmer or off once the contents look to be warm enough to serve.

Note: When using Greek yogurt to create a sauce, some of the yogurt will separate or curdle into little particles (compared to using straight heavy whipping cream or full-fat coconut milk in this sauce), and this is normal. It may not have the full, creamy appearance of the standard recipe for this, but it won’t change the taste a whole lot.
Now, you’re ready to serve in bowls and garnish with remaining chopped cilantro and crushed pepper (optional). Enjoy!