Wednesday, June 25, 2008

What to eat Wednesday-Chicken-n-Spinach Pasta Bake

Since we have not replaced our broken grill- we (that would be me) still have to slave away in the kitchen during the summer. So this is not exactly what I would call a summer dish, but I love it.

This recipe came from Donna who gave me one of her stake cookbooks. She trys the recipes out, then tells me the pages that are good. Takes a lot of the guesswork out for me! Then she also gives me her suggestions, of what needs to be changed.
Of course, I changed a few things- not much - the spinach mainly.

Chicken-n-Spinach Pasta Bake
8 oz uncooked whole wheat penne or Rigatoni
1 T olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
sauteed spinach (recipe here)
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts
1 can italian style diced tomatoes
1 container chive and onion cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, spread oil in bottom of an 11x7 baking dish; add onion in a single layer. Bake at 375-for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to a large bowl. Set aside. Cook spinach. Stir pasta, spinach, chicken, tomatoes, cream cheese, salt & pepper into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake, covered at 375-for 30 minutes, uncover and bake 15 minutes or until bubbly.