Ingredients:
- 4 cups of al dente whole grain pasta of your choice (try elbows, orrecchiette and other more-dimensional pasta, or use a gluten-free variety)
- 2 large chicken breasts, baked and gently shredded (pull into pieces with a fork)
- 3 cups chopped fresh spinach
- 5 crimini mushrooms, washed and chopped
- Half a medium spanish onion, chopped
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- Some extra virgin olive oil (for cooking)
- 6-8 ounces artichoke hearts (canned is fine), chopped
- 16 ounces low-fat sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons Italian herbs
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (plus a little extra for cooking)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
- 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Cook pasta according to the package directions, but take 1-2 minutes off of the cooking time so the pasta is al dente (since you’ll be baking this dish, you want to undercook the pasta slightly; be careful not to overcook). Add a splash of oil while cooking the pasta to prevent sticking and a little sea salt for flavor.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the chopped mushroom, garlic, onion and basil to a skillet with about a Tablespoon or two of oil and a few sprinkles of sea salt. Saute over low heat with a little oil to soften and lightly brown, stirring every couple of minutes (the aroma will be very enticing) for 10-15 minutes.
- Also while the pasta is cooking, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add spinach, cover and let boil for 1-2 minutes. When the spinach is wilted, drain it well and fluff with a fork
- When the pasta is al dente, rinse it 2-3 times with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Place the pasta in a large bowl and add the shredded chicken. Toss to combine.
- Add the drained spinach, the mushroom saute and the chopped artichoke to the large bowl. Stir gently to combine; if the spinach sticks together, use a fork again to gently fluff and separate it.
- In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the sour cream, herbs and salt.
- Add the sour cream mixture to the large bowl and gently stir so sour cream is evenly distributed.
- Add the cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan to the large bowl and stir again to combine well.
- Spoon mixture into large glass casserole dish (tilt bowl sideways for ease) and spread evenly across dish.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Next, remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Enjoy!
Notes: When I came up with this recipe, I didn’t measure any of the ingredients but mixed things together and it came out wonderfully. So, don’t worry about having exactly 3 cups of chopped spinach or exactly 5 mushrooms – use what you have and it will still taste great. Also, I used gluten-free brown rice elbows as my pasta, and they were awesome in this dish.
Lastly, a word of caution: my boyfriend and I ate much more than half of this large casserole in one sitting, so if you’re hungry and having more than 4 people at your dinner table, plan accordingly. : )
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