Healthier Marry Me Chicken & Orzo Pasta Casserole Recipe (35 Minutes) by Melissa Vickers
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I'm trying to eat healthier. But then I saw the recent posting of the marry me chicken and orzo casserole recipe and it looked so tasty. After reading the list of ingredients, however, I was quick to realize that the recipe as written wasn’t going to work for me. After a recent health scare last July (a heart attack is quite the wake-up call!), my husband and I have been doing what we can to watch how and what we eat, especially with respect to sodium and fat content. Thankfully, I have enough of my mom in me to modify recipes to make them work for what I want to eat – and what I have on hand.
The biggest sodium/fat culprits in this recipe are the chicken broth and the heavy cream, and there are reasonable substitutes for both. I used unsalted chicken stock with only 125mg of sodium (as compared to nearly eight times that for regular chicken broth) and unsweetened soy milk. I also subbed unsalted butter for the salted butter, and, just because we add mushrooms to everything, I added sliced mushrooms.
When I decided I’d give this high-protein chicken and pasta casserole recipe a try, I was sure I had a box of orzo pasta in my cabinet. Wrong. I did have a package of whole-wheat spaghetti though, and figured that might do for this recipe. I broke the spaghetti noodles into 1-inch pieces. The whole wheat just adds whole-grain goodness!
The other ingredients – sundried tomatoes, chicken breasts, garlic, pesto and Parmesan cheese – I used as listed. The result? Compared to the original Italian-inspired recipe, I reduced the sodium and fat content substantially. And, after dinner I asked my husband if he’d marry me based on that dish. “Sure!” Whew!
Cuisine: Italian / American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons sundried tomato oil (from the jar of sundried tomatoes)
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut into thin bite-sized strips
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning (divided)
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup whole-wheat spaghetti noodles, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
Here’s how to make it:
- Heat the sundried tomato oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to hot oil in a single layer. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Cook until browned on both sides and just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.
- Add mushrooms to skillet and cook 3 to 5 minutes. (If you don't like mushrooms, leave them out.)
- Add butter, remaining Italian seasoning, garlic and spaghetti noodles. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes or until noodles begin to lightly brown.
- Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. (I used Kitchen Basics Unsalted Chicken Stock, but there are several brands on the market. For some spice, add in some crushed red pepper flakes.)
- Add soy milk, pesto, chopped sundried tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Stir well to combine, then stir in the chicken and any juices it has released. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in a preheated 400-degree F oven for about 10 minutes. Let the casserole sit for at least 5 minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
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