Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

Vino Girl's Note:

From Cooking Light March 2006

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• cooking spray
• 3 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 3 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 (16 ounce) carton 2% fat cottage cheese
• 4 cups hot cooked penne (about 8 ounces uncooked tube-shaped pasta)
• 2 cups shredded shredded cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup 2% low-fat milk
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.
3. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender.
4. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.
5. Place cottage cheese in a food processor and process until very smooth.
6. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, milk, and soup in a large bowl.
7. Place mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.
8. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Reviews

[55tbird]

I've made this a few times now, and I love it. I always skip the milk.

[motherknowsbest]

I probably would give it 4 stars for my own taste by my picky 4 year old and my 2 and a half year old ate it so I HAVE to give it 5 stars. I forgot the milk like the other reviewer but it still came out great. I did make several changes due to what I had on hand and my picky family. I skipped the red bell pepper but still sauteed the mushrooms (which I had to puree) and onions (pureed aswell...picky, picky). I used dried oregano, substituted the penne for farfalle and used monterrey jack instead of cheddar and kraft parmesan crumbled cheese instead of the fresh. I also used about 300 g of frozen spinach like another reviewer. For the chicken, I used the frozen, precooked tenders I get from Costco to cut some of the prep time down. So, pretty much most of the ingredients were there, just in another form and it still turned out great. I still am in total awe that my 4 year old ate it...all of it except the chicken pieces, but that is amazing!

[dianegrapegrower]

Made this using my own white sauce instead of canned soup. It was good.