Cheesy Chicken Pasta
about 8 cups
Active time: 35 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Description
This ooey-gooey pasta dish is a crowd-pleaser for adults and kids alike—think rich and creamy macaroni-and-cheese tossed with cauliflower and chicken. Serve with a spinach salad.
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Add cauliflower florets and cook until the pasta and florets are tender, about 4 minutes more. Drain, rinse and return to the pot.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and cook until reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Whisk milk, flour, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl and add to the pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheese until smooth. Stir chicken (or turkey) and mustard into the cheese sauce; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
- Stir the sauce into the drained pasta and cauliflower. Serve sprinkled with chives (or scallion greens).
Tips
- Tip: To poach chicken breasts, place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan and add lightly salted water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes. (1 pound raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts = about 2 1/2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken)
© Meredith Operations Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories421 cal
- Total Fat12.7 g
- Saturated Fat5.3 g
- Cholesterol1 mg
- Sodium543 mg
- Carbohydrate Total41 g
- Protein33.8 g
- Phosphorus516 mg
- Potassium682 mg
- Fiber4.8 g
- Calcium371 mg
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole-wheat penne
- 2 cups 1/2-inch cauliflower florets
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 cups low-fat milk
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère, or Swiss cheese
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, or turkey (12 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, or scallion greens