Easy Healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This Healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta combines tender chicken, whole wheat pasta, and fresh spinach in a creamy sauce, making it a delicious and nutritious meal.
Equipment
- Instant Pot (6 qt)
- sealing rings
- Vitamix blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (no oil) or halved grape tomatoes
- 3 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 lbs chicken breast (diced into 1-inch cubes)
- 3 cups chicken broth (1 cup for Crockpot method)
- 3 cups whole wheat pasta (1 box, 12 oz)
- ¾ cup low-fat cottage cheese (2%)
- ¾ cup low-fat Greek yogurt (2%)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 tbsp fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried basil)
- ⅔ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sauté sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and garlic in the Instant Pot until fragrant.
- Add the chicken and cook until browned, then pour in the chicken broth.
- Stir in the pasta, ensuring it is submerged in the liquid.
- Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and parmesan until smooth and set aside.
- Quick release the pressure, stir the mixture, and drain excess liquid, reserving ¼ cup.
- Mix the reserved liquid into the cottage cheese mixture, then stir in the spinach and basil until wilted.
- Add the blended cottage cheese mixture, serve immediately, and garnish with extra parmesan and fresh basil.
Notes
Substitute fresh grape tomatoes for sun-dried tomatoes, reducing the cooking liquid by ½ cup. You can double the Greek yogurt or cottage cheese if one is unavailable. Ensure chicken pieces are uniform in size for even cooking. For gluten-free pasta, reduce the Instant Pot cook time to 2 minutes.