This dish does not take too much work to put together and it is super delicious. The best thing about about it is that it happens to be a complete meal. It includes your meat, which is chicken, your starch, which is noodles and your vegetable, which is spinach and tomatoes.
In this dish I used elbow noodles, because I had some to use up. However, you could use any similar size noodles, like penne, or rotini or even bow tie.
Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake
Ingredients:
- 10 ounces elbow pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 ounces chive and onion cream cheese
- 1 cup light sour cream
- 1 cup half and half, plus more for drizzling
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken
- 3/4 cup sliced in half grape tomatoes
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400º F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium skillet, over medium heat.
- Add in the onion and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are slightly soften.
- Add in cream cheese and stir until melted.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in sour cream, milk, parmesan cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, black pepper and red pepper. Stir until everything is melted and combined. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl combine the pasta, chicken, spinach and tomatoes.
- Add in the cheese sauce and gently stir to mix.
- Pour into prepared baking dish. Drizzle a little half and half over top. Top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly and beginning to brown.
Serves: 6
Calories: 538
Total Fat: 24.7g
Saturated: 15g
Polyunsaturated: 0.9g
Monounsaturated: 4.6g
Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 109.7mg
Sodium: 372.1mg
Potassium: 325.4mg
Total Carbs: 44.8g
Dietary Fiber: 2.3g
Sugars: 6.9g
Protein: 31.5g
Vitamin A: 35%
Vitamin C: 10.6%
Calcium: 32.3%
Iron: 13.6%
*The nutritional information will vary slightly depending on the brands you use.
*Adapted from All Things Katie Marie.
