Description
A delicious and nutritious high-protein pasta recipe featuring tender chicken, creamy cottage cheese sauce, and vibrant vegetables. Perfect for a balanced meal with a Cajun and Italian-seasoned twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Pasta
- 8 ounces high protein pasta such as Banza
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Seasonings and Oils
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or neutral cooking oil of choice
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Sauce
- 1 (16-ounce) container low-fat cottage cheese (2 cups)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
- ½ cup milk (2%)
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
Vegetables and Herbs
- ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (pat dry if packed in oil; if dehydrated, cover with boiling water to rehydrate, then drain and pat dry)
- 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped or torn
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the high-protein pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid before draining. Rinse the pasta well afterward to prevent gumminess, especially if using non-wheat pasta like Banza.
- Sauté Chicken: While the pasta cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bite-sized chicken pieces along with Cajun and Italian seasoning. Stir to coat evenly, then sauté until the chicken is golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Prepare Sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the low-fat cottage cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, milk, and chopped garlic. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked pasta and prepared sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet with the cooked chicken. Pour the cottage cheese sauce over the mixture. Gently warm everything together over low heat, stirring. If the sauce feels too thick, thin it with the reserved pasta cooking water to your preferred consistency.
- Add Greens and Serve: Stir in the spinach gradually, a few handfuls at a time, allowing it to wilt into the warm pasta. Sprinkle the chopped fresh basil on top. Serve hot with additional grated Parmesan cheese as desired.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.
- Rinsing pasta is especially important for non-traditional pasta like chickpea-based Banza to avoid gumminess.
- Sun-dried tomatoes can be either oil-packed or dehydrated; rehydrate dehydrated tomatoes with hot water before use.
- Use low-fat cottage cheese to keep the sauce creamy yet light.
- Adjust seasoning if preferred; additional Cajun seasoning can be added for extra heat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
