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This Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta is an easy weeknight meal! Make this easy dinner in the Instant Pot, Crockpot, or on the stove! Blue, Purple, and Green Plan Points Included.
This Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a delicious and easy weeknight meal that your entire family will love! I’ve altered this popular dish to be a healthy, WW recipe without sacrificing the creamy and indulgent pasta dish.
Where’s the recipe?
I have readers of all skill levels in the kitchen. To better serve all of my readers, I include a ton of helpful tips and information in my recipe posts. If you would like to get right to the recipe and skip these tips, please scroll to the bottom where you’ll find the easy to print recipe card.
Ingredients in this delicious pasta:
- Sun-dried tomatoes (without oil): You can swap out the sun-dried tomatoes with fresh grape tomatoes cut in half if you don’t care for them.
- Seasonings & Spices: For this pasta dish, I chose Italian herbs, lots of minced garlic, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper.
- Chicken: While I prefer chicken, you can substitute with turkey and keep your WW points relatively low.
- Whole Wheat Pasta: Whole Wheat uses the entire grain. It is less processed and takes more energy for your body to break down (which keeps you full for longer!).
- Low-sodium chicken broth: I prefer to use broth in recipes as opposed to just water. If you don’t have broth on hand, just use equal parts of water.
- Fat free cottage cheese and fat free Greek yogurt: When blended together, this combination is seriously life changing when it comes to healthy cooking! This mixture replicates heavy cream while adding protein and keeping your points and calories down.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach adds a ton of vitamins and beautiful color to this dish. If you don’t care for spinach, I recommend either cutting it into small pieces so it’s hidden or skipping it entirely.
- Fresh basil: I adore the flavor of fresh basil!
- Parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese adds a slightly salty and nutty flavor. Grab a wedge of fresh and grate it yourself.
Recipe Tips
- Cut your chicken into one-inch cubes or ½ inch thick slices so that it cooks quickly and evenly.
- If you’re using dried basil, you only need 1 tsp. Make sure and add it during step one along with the rest of the spices.
- For meal prep, cook per the instructions and refrigerate or freeze in individual serving size containers.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Lightly spray your pot with cooking spray and set Instant Pot to sauté. Once your pot is hot, add tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning salt, and pepper. Cook until just fragrant using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Brown chicken on all sides for 3-5 minutes. This will prevent chicken from sticking together when under pressure.
- Add your whole wheat noodles and chicken broth to the pot. Stir and pat down pasta, making sure the pasta is mostly covered in liquid.
- If you need to add more water/broth, you can do so now. Be sure to drain and extra water before adding more ingredients.
- Close and lock the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 3 minutes.
- While the pasta is cooking, blend the Greek yogurt and cottage cheese together until smooth and set aside.
- When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure by moving the black valve on your pot from Sealing to Venting. When it’s done releasing pressure, remove the lid.
- Add spinach and fresh basil to the pot and stir until the leaves have wilted, then drain the excess liquid from the pot.
- Add the parmesan, blended yogurt and cottage cheese, and stir gently until evenly mixed.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Lightly spray a skillet with cooking oil, then add your tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Next, add your cubed chicken and brown for 1-2 minutes until the chicken no longer sticks together.
- Place all of the contents of your skillet into your crockpot, and add your chicken broth.
- Cover with the lid and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes of the cook time, stir in your noodles, and make sure all the pasta is covered in liquid. If you need to add more liquid, do so now.
- Once the cook time is complete, drain any excess liquid and add your spinach and basil. Stir until spinach is wilted.
- Blend cottage cheese and Greek yogurt until smooth, and add the mixture to the Crockpot.
- Stir in parmesan cheese and serve immediately topped with fresh basil.
Stovetop Instructions
- Lightly spray a large skillet or pot with cooking oil, then add your tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Next, add your cubed chicken and brown for 1-2 minutes until the chicken no longer sticks together.
- Add your pasta and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir and make sure all the noodles are covered. Once the broth begins to boil, cover your skillet and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the pasta is cooked, add your spinach and basil. Stir until spinach is wilted, then drain any excess liquid from the pan.
- Blend cottage cheese and Greek yogurt until smooth, and add to the pan.
- Stir in parmesan cheese and serve immediately topped with fresh basil.
Weight Watchers Points
This recipe makes 6 equal servings (approximately 1 1/3 cup servings). Each serving counts as 7 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points. Remember, Blue Points are the old Freestyle points program.
Divide the recipe into 6 equal servings for your most accurate portion size–especially if you use different shaped pasta, as they all grow to a different size when cooked.
Do you have more WW dinners?
You bet! In additions to this creamy recipe, there are a ton of delicious Weight Watchers recipes , including a ton of Weight Watchers pasta recipes, here at My Crazy Good Life:
Weight Watchers Instant Pot Recipes:
- Instant Pot Egg Roll in a Bowl (Southwest version!)
- Weight Watchers Swedish Meatballs
- Weight Watchers Chicken Alfredo – a delicious pasta dish!
- Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Healthy White Chicken Chili
Weight Watchers Crockpot Recipes:
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Weight Watchers Beef Stroganoff
- Crockpot Jambalaya
- Drunken Noodles Crockpot Recipe
- Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken
- Slow Cooker Brown Rice Pudding
Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta
This Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta is an easy weeknight meal! Make this easy dinner in the Instant Pot, Crockpot, or on the stove! Blue, Purple, and Green Plan Points Included.
Servings: 6 servings
Approximate Serving Size: 1 1/3 cups
Calories: 563kcal
Equipment
Instant Pot 6 qt
Kitchen Knife
Sealing Rings
Ingredients
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth one cup for crock pot and stove top
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes without oil, or you can use halved grape tomatoes
- ½ tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 lbs chicken breast diced into 1-inch cubes
- 12 oz whole wheat pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¾ cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup fat-free cottage cheese
- ⅔ cup parmesan grated
- ¼ cup fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Lightly spray your pot with cooking spray and set Instant Pot to sauté. Once your pot is hot add tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning salt, and pepper. Cook until just fragrant using a wooden spoon or spatula to prevent sticking.
- Brown chicken on all sides for 3-5 minutes. This will prevent chicken from sticking together when under pressure.
- Add your whole wheat noodles and chicken broth to the pot. Stir and make sure all of the pasta is pushed below the liquid.
- Close and lock the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 3 minutes.
- While the pasta is cooking, blend the Greek yogurt and cottage cheese together until smooth and set aside.
- When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure, and remove the lid. Drain extra liquid, if necessary.
- Add spinach and fresh basil to the pot and stir until the leaves have wilted, then drain the excess liquid from the pot.
- Add the parmesan, blended yogurt and cottage cheese, and stir until evenly mixed.
Slow Cooker
- Lightly spray a skillet with cooking oil, add your tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Next, add your cubed chicken and brown for 1-2 minutes until chicken no longer sticks together.
- Place all of the contents of your skillet into your crockpot, and add your chicken broth.
- Cover with the lid and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes of the cook time, stir in your noodles, and make sure all the pasta is covered in liquid. If you need to add more liquid, so so now.
- Once the cook time is complete, add your spinach and basil Stir until spinach is wilted. Drain the excess liquid from the pot.
- Blend cottage cheese and Greek yogurt until smooth, and add to the pot.
- Stir in parmesan cheese and serve immediately topped with fresh basil.
Stovetop
- Lightly spray a large skillet or pot with cooking oil, add your tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Next, add your cubed chicken and brown for 1-2 minutes until chicken no longer sticks together.
- Add your pasta and chicken broth to the skillet, stir and make sure all the noodles are covered. Once the broth begins to boil, cover your skillet and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 12-15 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Once the pasta is cooked, add your spinach and basil. Stir until spinach is wilted. Drain any excess liquid from the pan.
- Blend cottage cheese and Greek yogurt until smooth, and add to the pan.
- Stir in parmesan cheese and serve immediately topped with fresh basil.
Video
Notes
Weight Watcher Plan Points:
- 7 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points
- Cut your chicken into one-inch cubes or ½ inch thick slices so that it cooks quickly and evenly.
- You can substitute the sun-dried tomatoes with fresh grape tomatoes. Just cut them in half and sauté in step one below.
- If you’re using dried basil you will only need 1 tsp. Make sure and add it during step one along with the rest of the spices.
- For meal prep, cook per the instructions and refrigerate or freeze in individual serving size containers.
More WW dinner ideas:
Nutrition
Calories: 563kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 424mg | Potassium: 725mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1306IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 248mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition & Diet Information
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Made this tonight and it turned out flavor wise way better than i expected! I am not a cottage cheese eater, so I was skeptical of the cottage cheese/Greek yogurt mixture. Surprisingly, you can’t taste the cottage cheese at all! My only downside was mine didn’t come out near as creamy looking as yours. You can see all the cottage cheese curds which makes it visually unappealing. How are you able to get the curds to blend in? Thanks for sharing this one, I will def be making it again!
Yay! I’m glad you liked it!
Did you blend the cottage cheese and greek yogurt together before adding them to the pasta?
I’m confused about this step. Do we just combine the yogurt and cottage cheese or do we put them into a blender and blend them until the curds are smoothed out?
I put them in a blender so they’re smooth :)
I put this into the calculator and my weight watchers app and it’s giving me 14 points for one and 1/3 cup serving on the blue plan.
Hi Ashley! If you’re using nutritional information that will happen. We calculate our recipes based on ingredients, which is that we have been told by WW is most accurate.
Love the recipe, cooked it for my wife on WW and when we put in all the ingredients the blue plan showed 4 points.
What is the best tasting cooking method for this?
I prefer Instant Pot :)
Easy recipe but pretty bland
Just to be clear before I make this…..are you saying that for the stovetop version I only need 1 cup total of chicken broth?
I use a cup. Depending on how big your pan is and if you use the type of pasta I recommend you might need a little more water/broth to cover your pasta.
If you’re nervous about the pasta cooking, you can also cook it separately and add it to the recipe after it’s cooked :)
Can I substitute the cubed chicken for shredded rotisserie chicken?
Hi Shawna,
We haven’t made it with rotisserie chicken but don’t see why that wouldn’t be just as delicious. I’d probably add the shredded chicken at the end so it doesn’t dry out :)
I made this in the instant pot and it was amazing. I did change a couple of things. Because I used an entire box of pasta, I added one more cup of chicken broth to cover it. I also added a little bit more spinach because I love spinach. If it tastes a little bland at the end, due to everything getting absorbed by the pasta, just add a little bit of salt. That’s what I did and it really helped it.
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe my husband even loved it, I of course didn’t tell him it was weight watchers friendly, although he always eats weight watchers friendly stuff he just doesn’t realize it LOL.
Very good recipe! I used the InstantPot and it was super quick and easy. The pasta was perfect and the chicken was tender and flavorful. I did need to add a bit of additional water to make sure all the pasta was covered. My husband liked it and said we should have it again! Thank you for the recipe.
Just wondering if you can substitute a lentil or chickpea pasta for the whole wheat?
You can – it’ll change the counts and it’ll cook for less time (I haven’t tested either with this recipe) but you can. I’d honestly cook the pasta separately :)
tasted horiable
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe and thought it tasted horrible–it’s the most popular on my site!
Made this tonight and it was so good! I can’t believe how few points it is on the purple plan. Loved it and will definitely be adding it to my rotation. Thank you for sharing this!
I made this tonight with gluten free pasta for my daughter and it turned out really good (need to refine the gluten free pasta timing but…) How do I get this added to weight watchers. I am new to this.
Hi Tracy, if you’re using the online program, log your ingredients to add it to your day :)
I made this in my instant pot using gluten free pasta. It was so delicious! Definitely a keeper. Thanks for the recipe.
This recipe was amazingly good. We did add quite a bit of salt and additional herbs including Chile peppers based upon other reviews. We also added the removed liquid back in when we plated for additional flavor. With those modifications it was excellent. I would have doubled the spinach if it were up to me but others in the household disagreed! Thank you for a great recipe!
Thanks for your feedback! :)