Chicken & Spinach Pasta

Name: Chicken & Spinach Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings.
Ingredients: 1-1/2 cups uncooked medium pasta shells; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 large portobello mushroom, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; 1 cup fat-free milk; 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth; 2-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast; 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; 6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, divided; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

“One of my favorites! Can’t remember where I got this recipe, but I make it often. You can also double the amounts and freeze the leftovers. I enjoy it because it’s tasty enough—and thick enough—to eat even without the pasta!” Pamela Ziemer - Hutchinson, MN

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups uncooked medium pasta shells
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large portobello mushroom, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, saute the onion, mushroom and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add milk and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Add the chicken, spinach, 3 tablespoons cheese, lemon juice, pepper and pepper flakes; heat through.
Drain pasta; toss with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 396 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 74mg cholesterol, 337mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 5g fiber), 40g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Originally published as Creamy Chicken and Spinach in Healthy Cooking June/July 2009

Reviews

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Average Rating:

katecrid47

Jul 18, 2015

Made this last night, my kids ate it, which says alot. I also used fresh spinach instead of frozen. My husband and I liked it also. I did not use the red pepper flakes as the kids don't like a lot of spice. It was good though. I wish the sauce was a little thicker to coat the noodles better but that's all. Flavor was there. Thanks for sharing!
wallynbob

Aug 16, 2013

Needs more "kick," but even my little kids liked it--and that's saying something.
Sheryn83

Jun 6, 2013

This dish is a winner. So sumptuous. I made little modifications though, since I didn't have red pepper flakes, I used about 1-2 tsp of Chilli powder instead. Another modification was adding Italian seasoning to the sauce. The idea of this dish is wonderful. I would surely consider doing it again for another hearty lunch. :-) Thank you for the recipe!
jeffreyK67

Apr 21, 2011

Subbed raw baby spinach for frozen for better flavor and texture. There are never leftovers even though I double the batch.
Kimmase230

Mar 6, 2011

It was a good quick meal. I added half a can of drained diced tomatoes for some more flavor and it was delicious.
dmwilmoth

Nov 2, 2010

I absolutely loved this recipe! Was extremely flavorful, and to me, I felt like it could be on any restaurant menu. Did not make any adjustments, except for one by accident. I read the 6 tablespoons of parmesan as teaspoons, so it didn't have enough cheese in it. Although I used grated instead of shredded, so it turned out just fine. I can see where some might think it was a lot of spinach, so just adjust to your liking. I used the whole box and it was fine for my family -- we all devoured it!
pambert

Jun 2, 2010

My family loved this recipe. I have made it several time and it gets gobbled up.
cheeriogirl

Feb 3, 2010

I didn't like this, and neither did my husband. Way too much spinach, and it just didn't have a nice flavor.
ahmom

Jan 22, 2010

it wasn't good