Chicken Parmesan Protein Pasta

This protein-packed pasta has quickly become a weekly staple in my household. It’s cheesy , slightly spicy and packed with flavor! One bite and you will hardly believe something so simple could be so tasty! Before we dig in, it’s important to note this post is not sponsored. I just really happen to love the following ingredients and thought they deserved a little shoutout!

1. Banza Penne - this pasta is AMAZING and happens to be made with chickpeas! This gives it almost double the protein, 3x the fiber, and quite a few less carbs than your average pasta. Bonus: it also happens to be gluten-free! Best of all, it tastes just like regular pasta in this dish!

2. Rao’s Arrabbiata - this is currently my favorite pasta sauce! Although a bit pricey compared to your average pasta sauce (typically runs $6.99 - $8.99 a jar), it makes all the difference. The Arrabbiata flavor gives this dish a nice kick!

3. Applegate Naturals Gluten-Free Chicken Breast Tenders - these frozen chicken tenders exceeded all my expectations. They contain all white meat and the gluten-free coating gives them an amazing crunch that you don’t typically get with regular chicken tenders. I almost always have these on hand for this pasta dish or for topping to salads when I need a quick weeknight meal!

ingredients:

1 - 8 oz. box Banza Penne pasta made from chickpeas

1 - 24 oz. jar Rao’s Arrabbiata pasta sauce

1 - 8 oz. box Applegate Naturals Gluten-Free Chicken Breast Tenders

1 - 8 oz. bag shredded Mozzarella Cheese

*Optional - parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes or fresh basil for topping

directions:

Preheat oven to 425°

Place chicken tenders on a baking sheet and bake according to the directions on the box.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the directions on the box.

Drain pasta and add it to a lightly greased baking dish. Add 1/2 jar of pasta sauce and stir to combine.

Remove chicken tenders from the oven. When cooled slightly, cut chicken tenders into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle over the pasta and sauce mixture. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Place baking dish in the oven and cook until cheese is melted, bubbly and golden brown.

recipe notes:

This recipe makes approximately 4 servings and can be easily doubled to accommodate a larger family (hello, leftovers). More importantly, I highly suggest using a larger than usual pot to boil the Banza pasta in. This type of pasta tends to foam up and boil over more so than traditional pasta.