high protein spaghetti with chicken and broccoli

Chicken

High Protein Spaghetti with Chicken & Broccoli

A thick, creamy pasta sauce coats spaghetti in this easy dinner winner. Cottage cheese is the secret ingredient here—it blends nicely into the sauce, adding a boost of protein along with the chicken. If you want to make this dish vegetarian-friendly, replace the chicken with white beans or chickpeas.

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
3/4 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce
1/2 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
1 clove garlic, grated
2 teaspoons italian seasoning, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 cups bite-size broccoli florets
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

Directions

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, combine marinara, cottage cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, tomato paste, garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper in a blender; blend until mostly smooth, about 30 seconds. Add 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking water; process until very smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes, adding the remaining 1/4 cup cooking water as needed to reach desired consistency.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in broccoli, tomatoes, pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes start to break down and the broccoli is tender-crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring constantly, until nearly evaporated, about 15 seconds.
Stir in chicken, the drained spaghetti and the marinara mixture. Cook, stirring often, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.