Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Presto Pasta Nights: San Marzano Chicken with Fusilli



One of my favorite blogger's, Theresa over at Food Hunters Guide to Cuisine, is hosting Presto Pasta Nights this month. I thought since I'm trying to eat much healthier these days, that I'd enter a relatively healthy pasta dish.

Since beginning this diet and exercise journey I have thought about food constantly! I've always enjoyed cooking, and feel I have a pretty good repertoire of go-to recipes stored in my head. But when you embark on a journey to health, it seems like everything you know ceases to exist, and you are forced to learn healthier methods to prepare your favorite dishes. Finding flavorful ingredient substitutions is not an easy task! But when you do find them, it makes the dieting world a much nicer place to be. One of my favorite ingredients in this dish is the vegetable broth. I used Organic Better Than Bouillon. It has so many concentrated flavors that I didn't have to decide how much of "this" or "that", it was just "right". This recipe was created out of a need for rich flavor, and with only what was available in my kitchen at the time.

San Marzano Chicken with Fusilli

1/2 lb Fusilli or Radiatori pasta, pre-cooked and set aside
1/2 c fat-free Italian dressing
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Zero calorie Olive oil non-stick spray
2 medium zucchini, sliced
4 cups whole Cremini (baby portabella) mushrooms
1/2 of an onion (red or yellow), sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large can San Marzano whole tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp crushed Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a Ziploc bag add chicken and fat free Italian dressing. Let marinate for at least an hour (2 is better) in refrigerator.

Spray large pan with olive oil spray and saute zucchini and mushrooms until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 1 Tbs olive oil to same pan, and saute onions and garlic over medium heat until onions are partially translucent and garlic is slightly golden (Even when dieting, some things just work better with the real thing). Add chicken breasts and brown on both sides, about 8-10 minutes.

Add canned tomatoes, and vegetable broth to pan, and break up tomatoes slightly with a spoon. Add oregano, and salt and pepper. Return zucchini and mushrooms to pan. Continue to cook on medium to low for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Add pre-cooked pasta to pan, toss, and serve. Adjust seasonings according to your taste. Serves 4.


Remember, play with your food! Switch out ingredients to your liking, you're the boss!

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8 comments:

Peter M said...

Oh boy...this has has "family style" written all over it! Fusilli is perfect for this dish.

The Food Hunter said...

This looks great and very helathy. Thanks for submitting it to PPN.

Ruth Daniels said...

A perfectly healthy and tasty dish. Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights. Hope to see you back often.

Keri said...

That looks so yummy!

I'm trying to lose my last 15 pounds of baby weight right now and I don't even know where to start with making truly healthy dinners. We're a meat and potatoes kind of family and I've been totally out of ideas lately. I look forward to your upcoming healthy recipes! I need all the help I can get!

Navita (Gupta) Hakim said...

never tried pasta with zuchini...m a pasta afficianado...love it! urs look nice.

Mrs. G. said...

This looks fantastic! I love you.

Liz Harrell said...

If someone served this for breakfast, I'd be in my car right now and on my way. Wow... this looks fantastic!

Dazy said...

This recipe is really going to keep me busy in the kitchen with all its glamor. This is another must for the weekend! My kids would just hug me for this.