Creamy Skinny Pasta Casserole

Name: Creamy Skinny Pasta Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients: 12 ounces uncooked whole wheat penne pasta; 1 pound lean ground chicken; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained; 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese; 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream; 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided; Optional: Minced fresh parsley and crushed red pepper flakes

Baked pasta is a favorite potluck dish, so I altered some of the ingredients in my traditional recipe to make it lower in calories. Try it with ground beef, too! —Andrea Bolden, Unionville, Tennessee

Ingredients

12 ounces uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
1 pound lean ground chicken
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Optional: Minced fresh parsley and crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup pasta water; return all to pot.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook and crumble chicken with onion, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and remaining seasonings over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Add to pasta; toss to combine. Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Mix cream cheese, sour cream, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining garlic powder. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls over pasta. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, 8-10 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with parsley and pepper flakes.

Test Kitchen tips

This dish would also be good with rotini or medium shell pasta.

Tuck some fresh mozzarella cheese pearls into this dish for extra cheesy goodness.

Health tip: Whole wheat pasta is an effective way to get whole grains into your daily diet. If you're not accustomed to its chewier texture, try using half whole wheat and half regular pasta.