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garlic parmesan healthy chicken pasta recipe

Garlic Parmesan Healthy Chicken Pasta

A one-pan recipe for garlic parmesan chicken with a simple pasta. 
4.64 from 88 votes
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 280kcal
Author: Mason Woodruff

Ingredients

Garlic Parmesan Chicken

  • 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Tenderloins cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp 15g Reduced Fat Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper based on spice preference

Pasta

  • 1 bag 8.5 oz Barilla Ready Pasta Rotini, or your choice of pasta
  • 15 oz can Tomato Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Garlic Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Granular Sugar Substitute like stevia or Swerve
  • 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper omit if you're sensitive to spice

Instructions

  • Mix the garlic pepper, parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper in a resealable bag or container. Set aside. (Photo includes both marinade options.)
    healthy chicken pasta recipe process shot 1
  • Cut the chicken breasts into bite size pieces before adding to the resealable container. Shake or stir until fully coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better. 
    healthy garlic parmesan chicken pasta process shot 2
  • Once the chicken has marinated, heat a large skillet over medium high heat with nonstick cooking spray. 
  • When the skillet is hot (water drops should sizzle), add the chicken and spread evenly in the pan. Leave untouched for 4 minutes before flipping. Cook another 2-3 minutes after flipping. Make sure you don't have any oddly shaped or large pieces of chicken with pink remaining before reducing the heat to low.
    garlic parmesan chicken in the frying pan
  • While the chicken cooks, microwave the Ready Pasta and mix the tomato sauce with the garlic pepper, sweetener, and crushed red pepper in a bowl. 
  • Add the pasta and tomato sauce to the cooked chicken and stir. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce is completely warm and everything is uniformly mixed. 
  • Remove from the heat and top with optional shredded mozzarella before serving. 

Notes

  • Each serving has 4 Smart Points.
  • Macros for chicken only: 559 calories, 107 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbs, and 8 grams of fat
  • Alternative chicken marinade recipe: 3 Tbsp (45g) Nando's Peri-Peri Garlic sauce and 1/4 C (30g) Reduced Fat Grated Parmesan Cheese (305 Calories, 33 grams of protein, 33 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of fat per serving with this marinade)
  • If you wanted to use a pasta sauce from a jar instead of the tomato sauce mixture, feel free. 
  • I used McCormick Garlic Pepper but if you wanted to make your own, here's a recipe with similar ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 3g