Worth Every Penne

Whole wheat penne noodles with chicken, bacon, vegetables, and pesto sauce.

PREP 10 MIN COOK 10 MIN SERVES  6


Sauce
2 Tbsp basil pesto
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper


2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne noodles (about 8ox / 227g)
4 slices reduced-sodium bacon, chopped 
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped red onions
3 big handfuls baby spinach leaves
12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (*see tip down below*)
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan or Romano cheese, or
   1/2 cup crumbled light feta cheese (2oz / 57g)
Freshly ground pepper to taste


1. To prepare sauce, whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Cook penne noodles according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

3. While pasta is boiling, cook bacon in a large, non-stick or wok over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Remove and discard 1 Tbsp bacon drippings from skillet. Add mushrooms and onions to skillet. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add spinach leaves and tomatoes. Cook until spinach is wilted. Stir in chicken and cook just until chicken is heated through. Add cooked penne noodles and mix well. Add reserved sauce and mix again. Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle pasta with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.


* Tip: To save work and time, buy a rotisserie chicken at your grocery store and chop up all of the breast meat for this meal. Save the dark meat for tomorrow's lunch. *

PER SERVING: (1 CUP) 331 CAL, 10.6 FAT, 2.9 SAT FAT, 27 G PROT, 31 G CARB, 5.7 G FIB, 50 MG CHOL, 270 MG SOD
PointsPlus Value: 8

Earning it's title, this was indeed worth every "penne". 
The pasta, bacon, and chicken is what sold our house-hold! ...and then you get to top it all off with cheese - Parmesan cheese - superb!