TODAY Food Club

Pasta, chicken, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes baked together in a creamy cheese sauce, the ultimate comfort food for any night of the week. Baked Chicken Florentine Pasta is packed with flavor and simple to make, completely gluten-free….and nobody will even know.

Baked Chicken Florentine Pasta

• Yield: 8 servings
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cooking Time: 30 min

Ingredients

• 1 package Barilla Gluten Free Penne
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small vidalia onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3 cups low-fat milk
• ½ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken breast
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
• 1 ½ cups shredded white cheddar
• 1 cup shredded parmesan

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta just to al dente. (The pasta will still have a firm bite to it.) Immediately drain and set aside. (Do not overcook.)
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a large skillet, add the olive oil and heat over med-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the italian seasoning, salt, red pepper, ground pepper and cornstarch stirring to coat the onions completely. Slowly add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and stir in the milk. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken slightly. Turn off the heat and add the tomatoes, chicken and spinach stirring to combine. Stir in the colby jack cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar and ½ cup parmesan. Set aside.
4. Coat a 9x12 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add the pasta to the dish. Pour the sauce mixture over the pasta and stir to combine. Top the pasta with the remaining cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
5. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tags

• Gluten-free
• Entree