Skinny Bang Bang Pasta

This lightened up and low-fat bang bang sauce is just as delicious as the original but without all the guilt. Pair it with your favorite pasta or make it even healthier with a multi-grain pasta.

I’ve insisted on eating healthy this past week or so because I was asked to demo my mug cakes cookbook* on the local morning show in San Diego and I wanted to look and feel my best for TV (you know how they say the camera adds ten pounds!). One of the dishes we’ve been making is this skinny bang bang pasta with chicken, which is lower in fat than my regular bang bang sauce.

This whole TV thing had me really nervous. I know many people would be excited at the prospect of being on TV, but when I was contacted by the show, I was anxious and wondered if I should do it. It’s no secret I don’t like cameras. I avoid being in front of them, which is ironic since I spend so much time holding a camera and snapping pictures. I’ve had two other small TV things before, where I learned that I sound like a blubbering idiot when a camera is pointed in my face. So, the idea of live TV really made me nervous.

At least all the worry about the TV appearance has been a good motivator to eat better. Even though we’re eating healthier, the dishes we’re making aren’t complicated. We’ve been making acai bowls for breakfast and trying to eat more vegetables. This skinny bang bang pasta is probably one the easiest meals we’ve made, though. You don’t have to cook the sauce – all you do is mix up a few ingredients and toss it with pasta. It’s what I love best about bang bang sauce. It’s so easy to make.

What is Bang Bang Sauce?

Bang bang sauce was made popular by a restaurant called Bonefish Grill where they serve it with shrimp. It’s a simple sauce made with:

• Mayonnaise
• Thai sweet chili sauce
• honey
• Sriracha
• Lime juice

It’s sweet and spicy with a bright flavor from the lime juice and you can use it in so many ways. I’ve used it in zucchini noodles, cauliflower, shrimp and chicken recipes and it’s a really great sauce for meal prep recipes, too.

The bang bang sauce recipe I’m sharing today is a low-fat version made with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. The color of the sauce is a little lighter, but it’s just as delicious as the original. It’s a great sauce for pasta along with some boneless, skinless chicken breast for protein

Tips for Making Skinny Bang Bang Pasta

• I like to boil the pasta and, while it’s cooking, cook the chicken in a skillet with some olive oil and garlic.
• While the chicken cooks, mix the yogurt, chili sauce, honey, sriracha and lime juice in a bowl. Drain the pasta and toss it with the cooked chicken and sauce. That’s it. So easy.
• You can also switch out the chicken for cauliflower or shrimp. You could also add some zucchini noodles.

Now that all the TV nervousness is over – I did my live TV appearance this morning! – I’m sure we’ll be tempted to go back to our regular not-always-healthy ways, but we’ll keep making this skinny bang bang sauce because I really can’t tell that it’s low-fat.

Oh, and I’m really glad I faced my fears and showed up to the TV station this morning. I was so distracted and nervous leading up to the big day, but you know what? It actually wasn’t so bad. It was actually kind of fun. The crew, segment producer, and host were just so wonderful and put me at ease. I actually forgot about the camera and before I knew it, the whole thing was over. I survived! Whew.

*Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. Much like referral codes, this means I earn a small commission if you purchase a product I referred (at no extra charge to you).

Skinny Bang Bang Pasta

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Asian

This lightened up and low-fat version of bang bang pasta sauce is just as delicious as the original but without all the guilt. Pair it with your favorite pasta or make it even healthier with a multi-grain pasta.

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Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 lb boneless chicken breast cubed
• 8 oz thin spaghetti pasta or pasta of your choice
• chopped parsley for garnish

for the sauce

• 1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt (see note)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce smooth kind without seeds
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp sriracha sauce or other hot sauce
• 1/2 tbsp lime juice

Instructions

• Lightly grease a saute pan and turn stove to medium-high. Add garlic and cook until the aroma of the garlic comes out. Add in chicken pieces and cook until chicken is cooked through.
• In a large pot, add water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until done. Drain out water when pasta is finished.
• While pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, make the sauce by combining all ingredients and mixing with a whisk until smooth. You can adjust as needed.
• Add chicken to the still hot pasta. Pour 2/3 of the sauce into the hot pasta and toss. Slightly warm the remaining sauce (in the microwave is fine). Dish out pasta onto plates and add remaining sauce on top. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Notes

• You must use Greek and not regular yogurt otherwise your sauce won't have the right consistency.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25of recipe, Calories: 352kcal, Carbohydrates: 47.4g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 2.5g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Sodium: 286.3mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 12.9g, NET CARBS: 45

The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.

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