Marinara Chicken Pasta

Hearty penne pasta tossed with tender chicken pieces in a rich, robust marinara sauce, served alongside a crisp Caesar salad.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 20 min
• Total: 30 min
• Servings: 10
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $2.22/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• quick
• comfort food

Ingredients

• 1.5 pound chicken breast (boneless, skinless, cooked and shredded or diced)
• 48 ounce marinara sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium, chopped)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 pound penne pasta (uncooked)
• 10 ounce Caesar salad mix
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Instructions

1. Cook the 1 pound penne pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add the 1 medium yellow onion and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the 3 cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in the 2 (24 ounce) jars marinara sauce and the 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken breast. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes to heat through and meld flavors.
5. Add the cooked penne pasta to the sauce and chicken mixture, tossing to coat well.
6. Prepare the 1 (10 ounce) bag Caesar salad mix according to package directions.
7. Serve the Marinara Chicken Pasta with the Caesar salad and grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

Notes

If you don't have pre-cooked chicken, quickly pan-sear 1.5 pounds of chicken breast before starting the sauce, or use a rotisserie chicken. Leftovers are delicious for lunch the next day!

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 480
• Protein: 38 g
• Carbohydrates: 45 g
• Fat: 17 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Sodium: 780 mg
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Sugar: 10 g
• Cholesterol: 80 mg