Healthy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients:
10 oz short pasta gluten-free if needed, whole wheat, or lentil pasta
1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil or use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
3–4 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
8 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped
3 cups almond milk
2 tbsp gluten-free flour
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente.
Chop chicken into 1-inch pieces and place into a bowl. Stir in the oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and continue to cook until cooked through about 5-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk the milk and flour until no visible lumps.
Pour the milk mixture over the cooked chicken in the pan and mix well to combine. Allow the sauce to bubble for a few minutes to thicken up. It should take no more than 3-4 minutes.
Once the sauce is done, add spinach and stir until wilted.
Add cooked pasta together with grated parmesan and stir to combine. Enjoy.
Notes:
- Pasta: use pasta of choice. Gluten-free, whole wheat, lentil pasta, or chickpea pasta.
- Chicken: we used chicken breast, but you may use boneless thighs. Consider using shrimp instead of chicken if desired.
- Spinach: we recommend using fresh spinach. Frozen spinach can be used but thaw first and drain to remove excess water.
- Use fresh garlic or replace it with 1 tablespoon of garlic powder.
- Cook the pasta al dente since it will cook again with everything else to prevent having soft and soggy pasta.
- Store leftover chicken pasta in a container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.