Chicken Pasta Bake
30 minutes prep time, 45 minutes cook time
8 Servings
The Chicken Pasta Bake is a cross between a baked ziti and chicken chili. If you like baked pasta and chili, you will love this meal. It's a bit more work than most of my recipes, but is worth the time if you plan to salvage it for yourself to eat throughout the week. The Chicken Pasta Bake has almost zero fat and is packed with protein, so there's no guilt making it time and time again.
Steps
Tools you will need:
cutting board
fruit/vegetable knife
9"x13" glass baking dish or 3 quart casserole dish and 8"x8" glass baking dish or 1-1/2 quart casserole dish
8 quart cooking pot and 6 quart cooking pot
Collander
Steps:
Fill half the large pot with water and heat to a boil. Add chicken to boiling water, reduce heat to low, and allow to cook for 20-25 minutes.
While chicken is cooking, clean and chop the peppers and onions.
Cook pasta in 6 quart cooking pot. When the noodles are soft, drain in collander.
When chicken is finished cooking, shred with forks.
Layer the bottom of the baking dishes evenly with the shredded chicken.
Layer the pasta on top of the chicken, and evenly spread the peppers, onion, beans, and diced tomatoes over the pasta.
Top with a layer of pasta sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake in the oven 20-25 minutes.
Sit back and relax until the meal is ready to eat.
How to make
There are a variety of ways to customize a chicken bake.
Pasta: Use a smaller type noodle for easier eating, and choose whole wheat or whole grain pasta for a healthier option.
Vegetables: Experiment by adding different vegetables: mushrooms, different type onions and peppers, green peas, and broccoli florets are all great options that can radically change the flavor.
Beans: Choose any type bean you prefer.
Sauce: Substitute any type of tomato sauce for different flavor. But read the label before choosing your sauce. Many sauces can be high in sodium and sugar, and cheese sauces are high in fat, so look for sauces that have less than 10% the daily recommended value of fat and sugar per serving.
Cheese: Cheeses are a great source for calcium and protein. But beware of the high fat content. Mozzarella, parmesan, and Romano are healthier optionsthat can dynamically alter the taste!
Nutrition Facts
per serving
- calories: 450
- fat: 3 g
- saturated fat: 0 g
- carbohydrates: 60 g
- fiber: 6 g
- sugar: 7 g
- added sugar: 0 g
- protein: 45 g
Ingredients
(3) lbs boneless Chicken Breasts
(1) can Diced Tomatoes
(1/2) jar Tomato Sauce
(1/2) White Onion chopped
(1/2) Red Bell Pepper chopped
(1/2) Yellow Bell Pepper chopped
(1/2) Orange Bell Pepper chopped
(1) can Tri-Bean blend
(1) 16 oz box Farfalle Pasta
(1) cup fat-free Mozzarella Cheese