Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Low-Carb, High-Protein, Gluten-Free)

A super flavorful, high-protein, gluten-free pasta dish that will leave you feeling full and satisfied for hours!

I'm not usually a big pasta gal because I'd much rather stuff my face with squash and potatoes lol but I had some protein pasta in the pantry and decided to give it a whirl. Don't be discouraged by the ingredient list and/or directions - I just wanted to be very thorough in the steps so you know exactly how to make this with no fuss or excess dishes. It's fairly simple, promise!

I used the Kaizen brand pasta to make this high-protein, low-carb but you could also use Banza or another higher-protein, lower-carb option.

This is also a great option for meal prep as it holds up well in the refrigerator for a few days!

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces pasta (I used Kaizen brand)
• 16 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons oil (I used the olive oil from the sundried tomato jar for extra flavor)
• 3 sweet Italian chicken sausage links, casing removed
• Chicken broth (or water) for deglazing
• 3 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 6-8 sundried tomatoes, cut thin (if using the kind packed in olive oil as I did, shake off excess oil)
• 8 ounces fresh spinach or chopped kale
• salt and black pepper for seasoning
• toasted pine nuts and freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Set up a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.
2. Cut chicken breasts in half length-wise and then into thin slices. Toss the chicken slices in salt, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside.
3. Prepare the other vegetables so they're ready to go: slice the zucchini, chop the shallots and garlic, slice the sundried tomatoes, and wash/dry your spinach or kale.
4. Once the pasta water is boiling, heavily salt the water and cook pasta until just al dente (don't overcook!). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. After draining, drizzle a few drops of olive oil over the pasta and toss (this will prevent it from sticking together). Set aside.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until browned. Remove chicken to a bowl and set aside.
6. In the same pan, crumble the sweet Italian chicken sausage and cook until browned. Add a splash of chicken broth or water to the pan and scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom. Once the broth or water has evaporated, remove the chicken sausage from the pan and add it to the same bowl as the chicken. Set aside.
7. Add another 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the same pan and toss in the zucchini. Season the zucchini with a dash of salt and pepper and the remaining tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Cook for 6-8 minutes, tossing frequently, until the zucchini is softened. Add a splash of chicken broth or water to the pan and scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom. Remove zucchini from the pan and set aside.
8. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the last 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the tomato paste, cream, parmesan cheese, and reserved pasta water and mix to combine.
9. Add the sundried tomatoes and spinach/kale and simmer until the spinach/kale wilts and sauce begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes.
10. Pour the chicken slices, crumbled sausage, and pasta into the pan and stir to combine. Let simmer on low for a few minutes until the ingredients are heated through.
11. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts, if desired. 

Nutrition

• I entered this recipe into Cronometer and then weighed the entire amount before serving. It came out to ~ 2000 grams total. I then edited the "cooked recipe weight" to reflect this total amount and set the servings to 6. Depending on the specific ingredients you use (I.e., type of pasta and chicken sausage, heavy cream vs. half and half, etc.), you will get slightly different macro totals.
• For 1 serving (~330 grams, not including extra parmesan cheese and pine nuts), the macros came out to be:
  • 400 calories
  • 44 grams protein
  • 25 grams total carbs
  • 18 grams fat
  • 13 grams fiber