A New, Healthier Take on Chicken, Broccoli and Ziti

I love pasta. I love sauce more. Most people I know grew up eating chicken broccoli and ziti as a main pasta staple. It was heavy, creamy, cheesy, and absolutely delicious. Since I try to eat healthy but still want to consume flavorful food, I decided to make this dish my way and under 500 calories per serving.

Spaghetti with Chicken Meatballs and Broccoli

Photo Credit

Ingredients (serves 4):

8oz whole wheat spaghetti

1 medium sized head of broccoli

1-2 cups of your favorite tomato basil sauce (try to get low sodium)

1 package of Al Fresco Tomato and Basil Chicken Meatballs (or 16 homemade chicken meatballs)

2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 Tbl EVOO

Pecorino Romano cheese

salt and pepper

red pepper flakes (if you want)

Recipe:

Cook pasta according to directions on the box. Steam the broccoli for about 10 minutes in a double boiler/steamer. Add your broccoli into the pasta after you drain it. Keep it in the pasta pot on low heat (add some oil if it starts to get sticky or dry). Meanwhile, add a tablespoon of oil to a saute pan along with your diced garlic and meatballs (there are 16 to a pack). Cook the meatballs for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Add your tomato basil sauce to the meatballs and bring down to low heat. The amount of sauce you add depends on your preference. After about 2 minutes, you are ready for the finishing touches! Combine your pasta and broccoli into the saute pan of sauce and meatballs. Add in a 1/4 cup of cheese and as much of the red pepper flakes as you'd like. You can finish off the dish with fresh basil, or just eat it as is.

Nutrition facts:
Calories: 497 per serving
Total Fat: 17.5g
Cholesterol: 70mg
Sodium: 937.2mg
Carbohydrates: 59.1g
Fiber: 9.4g
Sugars: 10.1g
Protein: 28.5g

Enjoy :)