Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken

About This Recipe

Healthy creamy sun dried tomato chicken pasta packed with protein and veggies and tossed with a delicious sun dried tomato pasta sauce without any cream or dairy! Ready in about 30 minutes for a well-balanced meal.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups diced bell pepper ((230 grams/1 large))
• 2 cups diced zucchini ((230 grams/1 medium))
• 4 packed cups spinach, roughly chopped ((120 grams))
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes ((75 grams)*)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• toppings: fresh basil, parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup cashews, drained and soaked (**)
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes ((75 grams)*)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup pasta water
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to the instructions. When draining, reserve at least 1 cup (or more depending on your preference) of pasta water.
2. Prep your ingredients. Dice chicken into 1-inch pieces, chop the veggies, and soak cashews. Once the pasta water is almost boiling, things start to move fast so you will want everything prepped.
3. Prep your sauce. Add soaked and drained cashews, 1/2 of the sun-dried tomatoes, nutrition yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a blender. Set aside.
4. Make the chicken. When the water is almost boiling for the pasta, you’ll start cooking your chicken and veggies. Add oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and let it get hot. Add chicken and salt and pepper and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Make the veggies. In the same pan with the remaining chicken juices, add peppers and salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add zucchini and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, add chopped spinach and saute for another 1-2 minutes. Turn down the heat to low.
6. Assemble. Drain pasta, saving at least 1 cup of the pasta water. Add 1 cup of pasta water to your blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Then add cooked pasta, the rest of the sun-dried tomatoes, and blended pasta sauce to the pan. Mix well to combine and let warm through, about 1-2 minutes. If needed, add more pasta water to thin out the sauce.
7. Serve with optional toppings and enjoy!