Creamy Chicken Pasta

Those of you who read my blog regularly, are probably surprised to see me blogging a pasta with a white cream sauce. Generally, I try to avoid heavy cream sauces with lots of cheese. I find them quite tasty but I don't like the consequences that they have on my waist.  I found this recipe in my Cooking Light magazine and it looked like a nice creamy sauce without all the fat.  I decided to give it a try.  I even made a few more changes to the recipe to make it even healthier, like swapping whole wheat pasta for regular pasta and using a light marscarpone cheese in place of the full fat version. I was pleased with the results - pasta in a creamy white cheese sauce that doesn't break the calorie bank.  Score.

Creamy Chicken Pasta
9 ounces orecchiette pasta
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chicken stock
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup half and half
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup parsley, fresh
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

8 ounces chopped mushrooms

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Cook pasta according to directions.

Heat skillet and coat with cooking spray.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan.

Saute until browned.














Combine 1/4 cup stock and flour.  

Add flour mixture to chicken along with remaining 3/4 cup stock and half and half.

Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.   Remove from heat and stir in mascarpone.

In another skillet cook onions, garlic, thyme and mushrooms for 5 minutes. 

 Stir in vinegar and mustard.  Add to chicken mixture along with pasta.

 Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve immediately.

These are the nutrition facts that were provided with the recipe as it was printed in the magazine. 
Cooking Light Jan/Feb 2013
Serving size 1 1/3 cups
Calories 364
Fat 14.3g
Protien 23.2g
Carbohydrates 36.3g
Fiber 2.3g
Cholesterol 67mg
Iron 2.4mg
Sodium 336mg
Calcium 67mg

Not bad for a creamy pasta dinner.  The biggest thing is that my family liked it too.  No one even suspected that it was a reduced fat version.  Shhh ... lets just keep that information between you and me.

Ciao!