Sunday, December 16, 2012

Recipe: Baked Italian chicken and pasta

I've made a similar version of this in the past, but this one has more veggies and a few other minor alterations. Plus, throughout my weight loss journey, I've always said that I don't intend to stop eating pasta. I love it too much.

Ingredients
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
12 oz. whole wheat pasta (This typically comes in a 13.25 oz. box. Feel free to use the entire box if you aren't closely counting points like I am.)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 package fresh sliced mushrooms
1 bag fresh baby spinach (You could use frozen if that's what you already have on hand.)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Bertolli's Tomato and Basil, but you can use whatever you like.)
1/4 cup Italian blend reduced-fat shredded cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tsp. olive oil
Poultry seasoning
Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken on a baking sheet and sprinkle with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Add olive oil, red pepper and mushrooms to a nonstick skillet. Saute until pepper and mushrooms are tender. While this cooks, cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning (about a teaspoon) and the jar of sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray. Add half of the pasta and half of the sauce and stir to combine. Repeat with remaining pasta and sauce. Top with cheese and bake uncovered until cheese is melted. Makes 6 servings.

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