I made this recipe for the first time a couple of weeks ago and was amazed at just how creamy it tasted with the ingredients that had been used. It’s definitely one to try – especially if you’re looking for a new recipe to add to your weekly plan.
Because this meal uses a few ‘zero heroes’, it is just 1 point on No Count and 9 points if following WW Freestyle.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 4 chicken breasts, cut into slices
- 280g wholewheat penne pasta
- 16g Flora light (4g per person is free)
- 20g plain flour (5g is free)
- 200ml skimmed milk
- 65g (Tesco) reduced fat green pesto (4 points)
- 64g Philadelphia lightest (16g is free)
- a courgette, diced
- 4 leeks, sliced
- 50g Protein cheese, grated (26g per person is free)
Method:
- Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water.
- Spray a wok/large frying pan with Frylight and cook the leeks and courgette together. Leave to one side while you cook the chicken in the same pan. You will need to spray it with Frylight again.
- Meanwhile, melt the Flora in a separate pan and add a splash of the milk. Turn the heat down while you put in a bit of the flour and mix with a hand whisk. Keep adding a bit of milk and a bit of flour, whisking all the time, until it is all mixed together smoothly.
- Stir in the Philadelphia lightest, followed by the pesto. Keep stirring with the hand whisk until the sauce is simmering.
- Hopefully, by this time everything will be cooked and ready to bring together. Add the leeks and courgettes to the chicken and warm them through again.
- Drain the pasta and stir into the chicken, leeks and courgettes.
- Finally, pour over the sauce and carefully fold it all in together.
- Serve and sprinkle over the Protein cheese. Enjoy!
This will definitely be on my list xxxx
Morning Kelly
I don’t normally eat pasta but I’m definitely going to give this one a try. Thanks Helen xx
Thank you Donna
Looks nice Helen. Will give it a try. Whenever I make a sauce for cauliflower cheese I replace the skimmed milk with unsweetened almond milk to reduce the points. Makes a lovely creamy sauce
Thank you Kate: when I first started No Count I used unsweetened almond milk as I didn’t like skimmed milk but I’ve since developed a liking for skimmed milk:-)You have reminded me about the almond milk though so I’ll give it a try.Thanks!Helen xxxxx
Making this on Thursday instead of tuna pasta bake
Hi Abena, good swap!Hope you enjoy it, Helen xxxxx
Gorgeous! I ran out of penne and mixed with wholewheat spaghetti too, but hit the spot!! Yummy
Thanks for your comment Cheryl, I’m really glad you enjoyed this one.
You often use protein cheese can you tell me what it is and where it can be bought. Thank you. Barbara
Hi Barbara,
I made this with just the light cheese, pesto and chicken, omitting the flour etc, was absolutely delish, made for 2 and had the rest cold the next evening, was very very nice the next day, will definitely make again and have the leftovers for lunch at work, but I will also omit the protein cheese, didn’t like it in this particular dish, thanks for a fab recipe Helen x
Thank you Jo, and thank you for the feedback – protein cheese is great because it’s so low in points but it’s not always to everyone’s taste and it doesn’t work in every dish.I hope you have a lovely weekend, Helen xxxx