Chicken Pasta with Bell Pepper Sauce
Calories 416 (21% from fat)
Fat 10 gram
Saturated Fat 3 gram
Trans Fat 0 gram
Cholesterol 78 mg.
Sodium 562 mg.
Carb. 47 gram
Fiber 8 gram
Sugar 4 gram
Sugar Alcohol 0 gram
Protein 40 gram
Ingredients
4-6 quarts of water (About 16-20 cups water.)
1 tsp. salt, divided
1 box (16 oz.) whole grain spaghetti
(We used Barilla Whole Grain Spaghetti.)
2 cups onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeds removed and cut into strips
4 cloves (4 tsp.) garlic, minced
olive oil spray OR 4 tsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 cup lowfat mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. black pepper, ground
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
16 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, shredded
An interesting twist on spaghetti where you make your own sauce.
1. Heat a pot of water to a rolling boil. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Then add pasta and cook for about 7 minutes.
2. Once the pasta is done, SAVE 1/4 cup of the pasta water, THEN drain and set the pasta aside.
3. Chop up 2 cups onion and 2 red bell peppers into strips.
4. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the olive oil or lightly coat the pan using olive oil spray. Stir in the onion, red peppers and 4 teaspoons of minced garlic.
5. Cook and sauté the vegetables until soft, about 8 minutes.
6. Put the veggies into a blender cup, blender or food processor. Pour in the 1/4 cup of pasta water. Add 1/2 cup lowfat mozzarella cheese. Blend and set aside.
7. In a small bowl mix together the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
8. If the chicken is thick, cut it lengthwise so you have thinner slices to properly cook.
9. Lightly coat the chicken with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil or lightly coat with olive oil spray.
10. Then Sprinkle half the paprika and garlic powder on one side of the chicken, then the remaining half on the other side. Make sure the powder is rubbed into the chicken.
11. Heat non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Put the chicken in the pan, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, until browned on one side. Then flip, cover and cook for another 4-5 more minutes, until fully browned.
12. When browned on both sides, remove and cut into bite-sized pieces.
13. Put the cooked pasta into the pan, the chicken on top and cover with the sauce. Mix well using a pair of tongs. Divide into 8 servings and top each serving with 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese.
Yield: 8 Servings
You can freeze individual portions for easy re-heating later. Add the Parmesan topping only after the bowl is reheated. Don't try and freeze it with the Parmesan on top.
Microwave on high for approximately 3-4 minutes. Keep the container open a little to allow steam to escape.