Chicken Pasta Alfredo
Calories 440 (28% from fat)
Fat 14 grams
Saturated Fat 6 gram
Trans Fat 0 gram
Cholesterol 71 mg.
Sodium 890 mg.
Carb. 36 gram
Fiber 6.5 gram
Sugar 5 gram
Sugar Alcohol 0 gram
Protein 45 gram
Ingredients
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast
2 tsp. olive oil spray
1/4 tsp. black pepper, ground
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
5 oz fresh baby spinach
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper, ground
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. pesto sauce
12 oz. (About 2 cups) grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half or thirds
16 cups (4 quarts) water
8.8 oz. red lentil penne pasta
(We used Barilla Red Lentil Penne.)
1 3/4 cups parmesan cheese, finely shredded
Creamy pasta usually means cream, butter, and a nap afterward. This one swaps in cottage cheese and red lentil penne and lands a little north of 44 grams of protein a serving. Same comfort, different math.
1. Pat the chicken dry and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then lightly coat it with olive oil spray (or add the olive oil).
3. Spread the chicken in a single layer in the skillet, season it with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook it undisturbed for about 2 minutes.
4. Stir the chicken and continue cooking for 4 to 6 minutes, until the pieces are browned and reach 165°F; remove the skillet from the heat and set the chicken aside.
5. Put the skillet back on medium-high heat and cook the spinach until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
6. Place the cottage cheese, spinach, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and pesto sauce in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth; set the sauce aside.
7. Cut the grape or cherry tomatoes in half, and cut any larger tomatoes into thirds; set them aside.
8. Bring 4 to 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat, add the red lentil penne, and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender according to package directions.
9. Drain the pasta, immediately transfer it to a large mixing bowl, add the spinach–cottage cheese sauce, the chopped tomatoes, the cooked chicken, and 1 cup of the shredded Parmesan cheese, then stir until everything is well combined and the cheese has melted over the pasta.
10. Divide the pasta mixture into 6 servings and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the remaining Parmesan cheese over each serving. To make sure each plate is hot, warm them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds before serving.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days and reheat individual servings in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds.
Yield: 6 Servings
You can freeze individual servings for easy re-heating later.
Reheat from frozen for about 2 minutes, stir, then heat for an additional 45 to 60 seconds until hot.
