Tag Archives: skinny taste

Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side

Celebrate Mardi Gras with this colorful Cajun spiced pasta tossed with chicken strips, bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms and scallions in a creamy light sauce.

One of the easiest ways to lighten up a pasta dish is to add tons of protein and vegetables to your dish which keeps the portions large and the carbs low and this dish is a perfect example. Be sure to be generous with your Cajun spices, it should have plenty of kick so don’t be shy!
I took a knife skills class at Sur La Table this week with my girlfriend and of course I HAD to buy a new knife and cutting board there. I was so excited to put my new skills to work and cut my veggies like a pro with my new knife, a task I would normally dread.

This dish comes together rather quickly once all your vegetables are chopped.

You can make this with shrimp instead of chicken, or use a combination of both. Make this vegetarian by leaving the chicken out or replacing it with tofu and the chicken broth with vegetable broth. You can also make this gluten-free by using brown rice pasta and replacing the flour with 1 teaspoon of corn starch. Hope you enjoy!!

Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 323.8 • Fat: 6.2 g • Protein: 25.9 g • Carb: 44.1 g • Fiber: 6.3 g • Sugar: 3.2 g
Sodium: 126.5 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used Dreamfields)
1 pound chicken breast strips
1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup skim milk
1 tbsp flour
3 tbsp light cream cheese
fresh cracked pepper
2 scallions, chopped
salt to taste
Smart Balance cooking spray

Directions:

Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.

Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.

Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.

Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Makes 7 1/2 cups.

Caramelized Onion, Red Pepper and Zucchini Frittata

Caramelized onions, sauteed bell peppers and zucchini combined create a winning egg dish.

Frittatas are very versatile, they can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner if paired with a salad. Cut into small squares, they can be served as an appetizer as well.

This starts on the stove and finishes in the oven. I like to use half eggs, half egg whites to lighten my frittatas yet maintain the taste and texture I prefer and keep the vitamins, iron and nutrients, but if you wish to use all egg whites, that would certainly work.
Note: This has been updated from the archives and slightly modified it to make it even better!

Caramelized Onion, Red Pepper and Zucchini Frittata
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 157.7 • Fat: 9.3 g • Protein: 14.6 g • Carb: 5.7 g • Fiber: 1.6 g • Sugar: 0.8 g
Sodium: 243 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

1 white onion, thinly sliced rings
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups zucchini, diced into matchsticks
4 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tsp olive oil
salt and fresh pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Over medium-low heat, heat oil in a 10-inch skillet. Stir in onion and cook until slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Add peppers and cook 5 more minutes, then add zucchini. Season with salt and pepper and cook 3 more minutes stirring occasionally.

In a medium bowl whisk eggs, egg whites, parmesan, salt and pepper.
Add eggs to the skillet making sure eggs cover all the vegetables. When the edges begin to set (about 2 minutes) move skillet to oven. Cook about 10-15 minutes, or until frittata is completely cooked. Serve warm, cut into 4 pieces