15-Minutes to tasty, healthy, pasta perfection!
Even a healthy-sounding pasta entrée like Pasta Pomodoro (pasta with fresh tomatoes, olive oil and garlic), can have over 1,000 calories when ordered out. Plumped up with tender strips of chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, and plenty of garlic, this incredibly fresh and flavorful pasta dish instead clocks in with a slim 320 calories and a hefty 27 grams of satisfying protein per serving. If you count points, the 30 you might have to spend for a restaurant dish has been slashed to 7! (And just 4 for the purple plan when made with whole grain pasta.)
The secret to creating the incredibly fresh flavor is peak of the season ingredients combined with very little cooking time. In fact, it takes just 2 minutes to cook the sauce! To make a meatless Caprese Pomodoro you can add 8-ounces of fresh mozzarella pieces with the basil in lieu of the chicken. Love seafood? Substitute 1 pound of thawed shrimp instead.
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients
6 ounces dry spaghetti (I use Barilla whole grain spaghetti. It cooks in 7 minutes and doesn’t have a heavy whole-wheat texture or taste.)
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
4 to 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced thin across the grain
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons sweet vermouth or chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
½ cup fresh basil, leaves stacked, rolled, and thinly sliced
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions (because the sauce goes so quickly, be sure to start the pasta first). Drain, place in serving bowl, and cover. (Tip: Use the hot pasta water to warm the bowl before adding the pasta to it.)
2. While pasta is cooking, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté about 30 to 45 seconds, or until lightly browned. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned on the underside. Turn the chicken, and cook 1 more minute, or until just cooked through.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, vermouth, vinegar, and salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Pour the mixture over the pasta and toss. Add the basil, Parmesan, and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and toss again lightly to evenly coat the pasta. Season with pepper to taste and serve immediately.
DARE TO COMPARE: The Tomato Basil Spaghettini entrée with fresh tomato sauce and chicken at California Pizza Kitchen serves up 1,200 calories, 125 grams of carbs, and 58 grams of fat.
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: (1 ½ cups) Calories 320 | Carbohydrate 38g (Sugars 4g) | Total Fat 9g (Sat Fat 2g) | Protein 27g | Fiber 6g | Cholesterol 60mg | Sodium 390mg | Food Exchanges: 3 Lean Meat, 2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1 Fat | Carbohydrate Choices: 2 1/2 | Weight Watcher Point Smart Point Comparison: Green 8, Blue 7, Purple 4 with whole grain pasta (7 with white)
