Pasta with Greens, Beans and Chicken

Name: Pasta with Greens, Beans and Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 2 2/3 oz, wheat Pasta (Dry, Whole Grain); 1/3 cup, cubed Chicken Breast (Broiler Or Fryers, Cooked); 1/4 cup, low-sodium, drained and rinsed Beans (Cannellini, Canned); 1 cup, chopped Spinach (Mature); 1/3 cup Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth; 1 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese (Grated); 1 tablespoon, chopped Onions (Yellow); 1/2 clove, chopped Garlic; 1/2 teaspoon Olive Oil (Extra Virgin); a pinch Italian seasoning; to taste Salt and black pepper

Whole wheat pasta with cannellini beans, spinach and chicken — 472 calories, 34 g protein, 11 g fibre.

472kcal per serving

33.9gprotein

67.8gcarbs

9gfat

294 mgsodium

Sodium is calculated without salt added to taste.

Estimated; may vary.

Prep10 min

Cook20 min

Total30 min

Makes1 serving

DifficultyMedium

A one-pan pasta that carries beans, greens and chicken all at once: 472 calories, 34 g of protein and 11 g of fibre in a bowl.

The broth is not there to make soup. It reduces around the pasta in the last five minutes and turns into the sauce, which is why you want low-sodium — regular broth concentrates into something far too salty.

Spinach goes in near the end. A cup wilts in under a minute, and anything longer turns it dark and stringy.

Ingredients

Servings

Pasta (Dry, Whole Grain)2 2/3 oz, wheat (76 g)
Chicken Breast (Broiler Or Fryers, Cooked)1/3 cup, cubed (47 g)
Beans (Cannellini, Canned)1/4 cup, low-sodium, drained and rinsed (43 g)
Spinach (Mature)1 cup, chopped (30 g)
Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth1/3 cup (80 g)
Parmesan Cheese (Grated)1 tablespoon (8 g)
Onions (Yellow)1 tablespoon, chopped (9 g)
Garlic1/2 clove, chopped
Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)1/2 teaspoon (2 g)
Italian seasoninga pinch
Salt and black pepperto taste

Cook’s tips

Save a splash of the pasta water. If the pan looks dry when the pasta goes in, that starchy water binds the sauce better than more broth.
Add the spinach last and let it wilt in the heat rather than cooking it down — a minute is plenty for a cup.
Swiss chard works in place of spinach, one bunch for the batch. Use vegetable broth and skip the chicken for a meatless version.
Contains: wheat (pasta), milk (Parmesan).
Gluten-free: use a gluten-free pasta, same dry weight. Dairy-free: leave out the Parmesan — the dish loses about 34 calories and 2 g of protein.

Method

Wash your hands and all surfaces before you start.
Cook the pasta according to the package and drain it.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes, then the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Stir in the chicken and heat it through.
Add the spinach, beans, broth and Italian seasoning.
Add the drained pasta and stir. Cook 5 minutes, until everything is hot and the broth has reduced around the pasta.
Season with salt and pepper and finish with the grated Parmesan.

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