Dear Reader-
I just love Penne pasta. It is just perfect for casseroles… in fact, some of our favorite dishes include Penne.
So, when I saw this recipe for Tomato Basil Chicken Penne in Rush-Hour Recipes (Psst… Have you entered to win a copy?), I knew we were going to make it soon!
It did not disappoint!
How did I lighten it up for On the Lighter Side?
- I used 12 oz of Smart Taste Penne instead of 16 oz of regular pasta– which is ALWAYS more than enough pasta.
- I used tenders instead of breasts.
- I omitted the olive oil to cook the chicken by using a non-stick skillet and throwing frozen tenders in the skillet. As the tenders cooked and needed more moisture, I added a little bit of low sodium chicken broth as needed until they were cooked through.
- Instead of 1 28 oz can of Tomatoes, I used 2 15 oz cans of Red Gold Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano
- I used 1/2 Cup Shredded 2% Mozzarella Cheese instead of 1 Cup regular.
- I popped it all under the broiler at the end to melt the cheese up nice and yummy!
Tomato Basil Chicken Penne
Ingredients
- 12 oz Box of Smart Taste Penne- Cooked
- 1 1/2 lbs Chicken Tenderloins- Cooked and Cubed
- 2 15 oz Cans of Diced Tomatoes with Basi Garlic and Oregano
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil- Chopped
- 1 Clove Garlic- Minced
- 1/2 Cup 2 % Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except pasta and cheese in a skillet and heat through.
- Add in pasta and mix well before pouring into a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
- Top with cheese and broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese melts and browns slightly
Recipe Notes
Calories
345
Total Fat
3.5g
Sat. Fat
0.8g
Cholest.
60mg
Sodium
698.5mg
Carb.
50.4g
Fiber
8g
Sugars
6g
Protein
34.9g
The flavor of this dish bursts with those delicious Italian flavors. The basil, garlic and tomatoes meld beautifully with that ooey gooey mozzarella cheese that is still amazing after cutting the amount in half 😉
Put this one on your must make list… (and make sure to grab those yummy seasoned tomatoes– they totally MAKE this dish!)
Enjoy!
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About Cris
I am the mama behind GOODEness Gracious and the owner of Cris Goode Solutions.Here at GOODEness Gracious, we like to keep it light and fun as we cook up family meals, share our super mommy secrets and chat it up about the GOODe life:)So come on in and sit a spell.
