Recipe: Skinny Chicken Florentine

You'll love making this Skinny Chicken Florentine. It’s simple, delicious and low-calorie. [...]

Skinny_Chicken_Florentine-EDIT-6

You'll love making this Skinny Chicken Florentine. It's simple, delicious and low-calorie. Skinny swaps like whole-wheat linguine, low-fat cheese, low-sodium chicken broth and healthy spinach turn a calorie-laden comfort meal into a healthy and satisfying supper. Plus, there's enough protein packed in for the mightiest of workouts!

Recipe: Skinny Chicken Florentine

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 18-20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1 cup

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces whole-wheat linguine pasta, dry
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
  • ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed with excess moisture squeezed out
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to package directions for al dente. Reserve ¼ to ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil.
  3. Season the chicken with the salt and black pepper to taste and add to the skillet. Cook until done, 2-3 minutes on each side, and reserve the cooked chicken on a plate.
  4. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and spinach and set aside.
  5. In the same skillet the chicken was cooked in, over medium heat add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  6. Whisk in the flour and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Increase the heat to high and whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Continuing cooking for 4-6 minutes, or until thickened.
  7. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the lemon juice, cheese and spinach mixture, and stir until smooth and incorporated.
  8. Add in the reserved chicken and drained linguine pasta. Thin the sauce with 1 tablespoon of reserved pasta water at a time if needed.
  9. Gently toss the linguine and chicken together to evenly coat in the sauce, and serve.

Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (1 cup)
Calories: 334
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 62mg
Sodium: 411mg
Carbohydrates: 31g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 29g
WWP+: 10
SmartPoints: 9

The nutrition content of recipes on Popculture.com have been calculated by Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, of Smart Nutrition.

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