Sometimes you get in the mood to just dump a bunch of ingredients into a casserole dish and hope for the best. That was me last night. Being in the middle of fighting off a cold, and not cooking dinner for 4 nights strait, I needed to make something…but didn’t want to put in much effort.
This casserole is cheesy, meaty, and creamy. Alfredo and tortellini are not the healthiest ingredients in the world, but all the veggies you add to the bowl make up for it. All the different colors of the ingredients remind me of confetti. If you can boil pasta and cook chicken, you can make this casserole. And who doesn’t love a recipe that the final result looks like something you slaved over to make…but totally didn’t? Feel free to add any other vegetables you may have on hand or if you’d like a vegetarian version…forget the chicken!
Last night when we both sat down to try it, the chef said, “This. Is. Good.”
Servings: 8
WW Points Per Serving: 9
Ingredients
20 oz package of mixed cheese tortellini
1 lb of chicken breast, cooked & chopped into bite-size pieces
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 15 oz jar alfredo sauce
1 lemon
1/4 cup white wine
1 pint cherry tomatoes, dice into quarters
1 bell pepper, sliced and cut into thirds
8 oz of baby bello mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch of fresh spinach, cut off the stems
3 tablespoons italian bread crumbs
handful of shredded cheese of choice
salt, pepper, and season salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cook pasta according to package directions
Cook chicken in a pot with olive oil, remove, then add the sliced mushrooms into the same pot to cook and soak up the flavor from the chicken. Once chicken has cooled, cut into bite-size pieces
In a large bowl add the alfredo sauce, zest & juice of 1 lemon, and white wine…stir to combine. Add the tomatoes, pepper, and spinach to the bowl.
Drain the tortellini and add to the vegetable bowl (this will help wilt the spinach leaves a bit). Add the chicken and mushrooms, and stir to combine all the ingredients together.
Pour mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake for 40 minutes. When you have 15 minutes left, remove the casserole dish from the oven and sprinkle the shredded cheese over top and return the dish to the oven for the rest of the time.
Then remove the dish and let it set for 5 minutes. SO GOOD!!
I am definitely trying this!
LikeLike
This dish is very creative! While I love creamy pasta, I know it is not the best thing you can eat. However, packing this dish full of veggies does off set all of that. It looks like a tasty well rounded meal-well worth putting on the table. Great post.
LikeLike
It really doesn't even need the bread crumbs and shredded cheese…that was just last minute decision! ha Let me know what you think!
LikeLike
Oh my that looks delicious!!!!
LikeLike
Just realized I forgot to add the Weight Watcher Points! I thought it was going to be AWFUL, but 9 points isn't bad, and 8 serviings… those are good sized servings. ha
LikeLike
Looks like a hearty dinner and you did it all while being under the weather!! Well done. My family would love this one. 🙂
LikeLike
I buy those ridiculously delicious Bertolli bags of tortellini all the time. Am about to print this recipe- thank you! I'm now following…
LikeLike
I had to Pin this! Yum!
LikeLike
Krista – You get an A++++ for this one! Four couples from university get together once a month. Us gals and the guys alternate cooking for that night. It was the gals turn and we came across your recipe. We paired it with a simple mixed green salad, breadsticks and individual fruit crisps. We would like to know if we could rename your creation “Hush Boys Pasta Bake”? Didn't hear a peep until after dessert and it was a ten all around!Jenn in Ontario Canada
LikeLike
So glad to hear that you and all of your friends enjoyed it. LOVE the name you came up with, I may have to change the title 🙂 Thanks for such a nice comment!
LikeLike