Nutritious Shrimp and Broccoli Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 slice bacon, diced
• 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• ¼ lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 4 tablespoons low-fat whipped cream cheese
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• ½ cup shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 (7 ounce) container plain 2% Greek yogurt
• ¾ pound raw medium shrimp - peeled, tails off, and deveined
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 6 sprigs fresh parsley

Step 1

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Give it a stir now and then, and cook until it’s mostly done but not quite crispy, about 6 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, toss in the broccoli, and sauté everything together until the broccoli turns bright green and is just tender, which should take around 3 to 5 minutes. Once done, transfer the broccoli and bacon to a bowl lined with paper towels to soak up any extra oil. After that, discard the paper towels and give the mixture a quick toss with some lemon juice.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil and butter in a deep saucepan over medium heat until they start bubbling. Whisk in the flour to form a roux and keep whisking until it turns a nice golden brown, about 3 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking to keep things smooth. Turn the heat to low, add the cream cheese, and whisk until the sauce is lump-free. Stir in the chicken broth, crank the heat back up to medium, and let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until it thickens.

Step 3

Now, stir in 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese along with the Italian cheese blend until everything melts together. Mix in the Greek yogurt, then add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp until they’re pink on the outside and opaque all the way through, which should take about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste.

Step 4

Finally, take the sauce off the heat and fold in the broccoli and bacon mixture. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top and finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a nice touch.