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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.
If you’re losing weight with WW, this recipe is filling and satisfying. I calculate points based on the ingredients that I use, not by nutrition information. This is the most accurate way to count, as stated by Weight Watchers.
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 ingredient information in my healthy recipe posts.
If you would like to get right to the recipe and skip this additional information, please scroll to the bottom where you’ll find the easy to print recipe for this WW Tuscan Chicken Pasta.
Ingredients in Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta
These ingredients will give you the lowest WW points. If you substitute any of the ingredients, please recalculate your points.
- Sun-dried tomatoes (without oil): In a pinch, you can swap out the sun-dried tomatoes with halved grape tomatoes.
- Seasonings & Spices Minced garlic, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and fresh basil.
- Chicken: While I prefer chicken breast, you can substitute with turkey and keep your WW points relatively low.
- Whole Wheat Pasta: It’s less processed than traditional pasta and takes more energy for your body to break down (which keeps you full for longer!).
- Fat Free chicken broth: If you don’t have broth on hand, you can use water.
- Fat free cottage cheese and fat free Greek yogurt: When blended together, this combination replicates heavy cream while adding protein and keeping your points down. To keep this a Weight Watchers friendly recipe, use fat free.
- Spinach: 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
- Fat Free Parmesan cheese: Grab a wedge of fresh and grate it yourself.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Lightly spray the pot with olive oil or cooking spray and set to sauté. Once the pot is hot, add tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Cook until fragrant, and stir using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add diced chicken and brown it on all sides for 3-5 minutes. This will prevent the chicken from sticking together when under pressure.
- Add the 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.
- 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, cottage cheese, and parmesan cheese together in a blender 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. Be careful, there will be steam that releases. When it’s done releasing pressure, remove the lid.
- Drain any extra liquid (set aside 1/4 cup of the liquid) before adding more ingredients, or your finished recipe will be watery.
- Add the spinach and fresh basil to the pot and stir until the leaves have wilted. Allow the recipe to cool for a few minutes so the dairy doesn’t curdle.
- Add the blended yogurt, cottage cheese, and parmesan mixture to the pot and stir gently until evenly mixed.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Lightly spray a skillet with cooking oil, then add tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds or so.
- 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 the chicken broth.
- Cover the pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours to cook the chicken.
- About 20 minutes before you’d like to eat, boil the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and add to the Crockpot.
- Drain any excess liquid (set aside 1/4 cup) and add spinach and basil. Stir until spinach is wilted.
- Blend cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and parmesan cheese in a blender until smooth, and add the mixture to the Crockpot.
- If needed, add the additional pasta water to your recipe and stir. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil.
Stovetop Instructions
- Lightly spray a deep skillet or large pot with cooking oil, then add the tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and black pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Next, add cubed chicken breast and brown for 1-2 minutes until the chicken no longer sticks together.
- Add the pasta and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir and make sure all the noodles are just covered. Set aside ay extra broth. 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 spinach and basil. Stir until spinach is wilted, then drain any excess liquid from the pan, setting aside about 1/4 cup of the pasta water in case you need it later.
- Blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and parmesan cheese in a blender until smooth, and add to the pan.
- If needed to thin out the sauce, add the extra pasta water and give it a stir. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil.
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. 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.
- Blending the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt together in a blender will remove the chunks from the cottage cheese and reduce the tang from the Greek yogurt. A blender or food processor is important in this recipe, otherwise your finished recipe will have chunks in it and taste a little more like Greek yogurt.
Weight Watchers Points
This creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is one of my favorite Weight Watchers Chicken Recipes and makes 6 equal servings (approximately 1 1/3 cup servings).
Each serving counts as 5 Points on the 2023 Plan | 7 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points using fat free parmesan, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt.
Divide the recipe into 6 equal servings for your most accurate portion size–especially if you use different shaped pasta, as they all expand to a different size when cooked.
More Weight Watchers Meals
In addition to this pasta, there are a ton of delicious Weight Watchers dinner recipes (including a ton of Weight Watchers pasta recipes) right here on this site.
Weight Watchers Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Swedish Meatballs
- Chicken Alfredo
- Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Healthy White Chicken Chili
Weight Watchers Crock Pot Recipes
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Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Approximate Serving Size: 1 1/3 cups
Servings 6 servings
This Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta is an easy weeknight meal! Make this WW dinner recipe in the Instant Pot, Crockpot, or on the stove. Updated 2023 Points Included.
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 qt
- Kitchen Knife
- Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes without oil, or you can use halved grape tomatoes
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 3 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 lbs chicken breast diced into 1-inch cubes
- 12 oz whole wheat pasta
- 3 cups chicken broth fat free, 1 cup only for Crockpot method.
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt fat-free plain
- ¾ cup cottage cheese fat-free
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 tbsp fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
- ⅔ cup parmesan cheese grated, fat free
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Lightly spray the pot with cooking spray and press the sauté button. Once your pot is hot, add tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Cook until just fragrant using a wooden spoon or spatula to prevent sticking. ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes 1 tbsp garlic 3 tbsp Italian seasoning ¼ tsp black pepper
- Add chicken to the pot. Brown chicken on all sides for 3-5 minutes. 2 lbs chicken breast
- Add the whole wheat noodles and chicken broth to the pot. Stir and make sure all of the pasta is pushed below the liquid. 12 oz whole wheat pasta 3 cups chicken broth
- Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- While the pasta is cooking, blend the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and parmesan cheese together until smooth and set aside. ¾ cup Greek yogurt ¾ cup cottage cheese ⅔ cup parmesan cheese
- When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Drain extra liquid, if necessary – but set it aside in case you need it later.
- Add spinach and fresh basil to the pot and stir until the leaves have wilted. Allow the pasta to cool for a minute or two so the dairy doesn't curdle. 2 cups baby spinach 2 tbsp fresh basil
- Add the Greek yogurt mixture, then stir until mixed. If your sauce is thick, add the pasta water to your pot and stir.
Crock Pot Instructions:
- Lightly spray a skillet with cooking oil, then add tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Next, add the 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 chicken broth.
- Cover with the lid and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
- About 20 minutes before you'd like to eat, boil noodles in a separate pot on the stove according to package directions. Once cooked, drain them and add to the CrockPot.
- Once the cook time is complete, add your spinach and basil Stir until spinach is wilted. Drain the excess liquid from the pot, but set aside 1/4 in case you need it later.
- Blend cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and parmesan cheese until smooth, and then add to the pot.
- Stir in additional pasta water if needed and serve immediately, topped with fresh basil.
Stovetop Instructions:
- Lightly spray a large skillet or pot with cooking oil, then add tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Next, add cubed chicken to the skillet and brown for 1-2 minutes until chicken no longer sticks together.
- Add the pasta and chicken broth to the skillet, stir, and make sure all the noodles are just covered. Once the noodles are covered, set the remaining broth aside. 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 spinach and basil. Stir until the spinach is wilted. Drain any excess liquid from the pan, but reserve 1/4 cup in case you need it later.
- Blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and parmesan cheese until smooth, then add to the pan.
- Stir in the additional pasta water if needed, and serve immediately topped with fresh basil.
Video
Notes
These ingredients will give you the lowest WW points. If you substitute any of the fat free ingredients, please recalculate your points.
Weight Watcher Plan Points:
Weight Watcher Plan Points:
- 7 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points
- The points for the new 2022/2023 points plan is 5 points per serving (using fat free parmesan, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt).
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 955mg | Potassium: 1210mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1231IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 5mg
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Cooked this today. Had to add extra chicken broth to sink the pasta. Haven’t eaten but it looks so rich and creamy
When I add the pasta, is it cooked or uncooked? I’m fairly new to cooking and don’t want to mess up my recipe
Which cooking method are you using?
Made it last night! Was fantastic family loved it. I cooked my pasta separately and cooked on Stove top method. I did add about a 1/2 cup chicken stock to skillet once I added everything together before serving. I also added grilled asparagus, & mushrooms to the mix just for extra veggies. I also shredded my chicken breast meat. This will be a staple at my dinner table!
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it!!
Loved this dish! When I entered nutritionals in WW, though, I came up with 16 points. Can’t afford that many points for one meal.
Hi Kay, We enter our recipes into WW by ingredient, which is what WW recommended for the most accurate count. When we entered it, it came up as 5 points.
sun dried tomatoes: 0
boneless, skinless chicken: 0
spinach: 0
ff greek yogurt: 0
ff cottage cheese: 0
ff parm cheese: 5
broth: 0
uncooked whole wheat pasta: 26
(recipe has 6 servings)
Kay, I put the recipe into my WW app (changing sun dried toms to sun dried toms with oil) and it came out to 6 pts a serving.
We entered everything and it came to four points
Can I cook this in the Instant Pot if I reduce the size? I set it for 8 servings and scaled it to 2.
1/8 cup sun-dried tomatoes without oil, or you can use halved grape tomatoes
1/4 tbsp minced garlic
1/8 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 lbs chicken breast diced into 1-inch cubes
3 oz whole wheat pasta
3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth one cup for crock pot and stove top
1/2 cups baby spinach
1/8 cup fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
1/8 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1/8 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/8 cup parmesan grated
Hello, I haven’t cooked this for 2 people in the IP, so I can’t speak directly to that. I am always a fan of trying something once – you’d just want to make sure your water will be enough to cook the pasta. Keep me posted on how it turns out!
This was more like soup then a pasta dish with all that chicken broth, I removed the excess and I blended the cottages cheese and yogurt to be smooth but once it it the hot food totally curdled. It was never creamy.
I’m sorry this didn’t work for you, Polan.
Maybe remove more of the broth next time, and wait a few minutes before adding the creamy mixture so it doesn’t curdle.
Just got done eating for dinner. I followed the instapot recipe and used the grape tomatoes. I used a whole cup of them. Thanks for this recipe!
It is delicious!
Thank you providing alternative cooking methods for those of us who don’t own an instant pot.
I liked it but thought it lacked flavor. I did not have fresh herbs which could have made the difference. I added 1/4 cup of pasta sauce to it which did the trick. It did not add more points to the recipe. My husband liked it.
Loved this & plenty to freeze extra for a workday meal later.
I am so happy to have found your site!! My husband and I recently started on Weight Watchers. I’ve been worried about how to prepare meals when I start back to teaching in a week or so, and feel so much better now that I’ve found your WW meals!! Thank you!!!
Where do you find fat free Parmesan cheese?
I’ve found it at our Safeway :)
What could I substitute in place of the cottage cheese?
Thanks!
You can double the Greek yogurt, but it will taste more like Greek yogurt. The cottage cheese and yogurt are blended, so there is really no Greek yogurt taste or cottage cheese texture in the recipe as written. Once you pull one of those ingredients out, though, it doesn’t have that great creamy texture,
I made this today and it called for 1 cup of chicken broth for the crock pot. After adding the pasta I had to add 3 more cups just to cover it. When all was said and done, my pasta turned to mush. What went wrong?
Hi Barbara – it sounds like too much time and too much extra broth. How long did you cook the pasta for?
It looks delicious. Do you think it’s ok to use ricotta instead of cottage cheese?
Thank you!
I’m sure that would be fine, you’d just have to recalculate the ww points/nutrition if you made that change :)
Very good recipe and easy to make!!! Was a big hit with my family!!!!!!
Not disgusting exactly. But definitely not delicious. And such weird cooking techniques.
I’m sorry you didn’t like how we cooked this in the Instant Pot, Crock Pot, and stove top.
This could have been really good but I think 3 Tbsp of Italian seasoning was WAY too much. I could have pared it down to 1 tsp and it would have been good. The Italian seasoning was just overwhelming. Will try it again with much less!
followed this recipe nearly exactly, (the only thing I changed was I put less yogurt and more parmesan cheese in). and I am not exaggerating when I say this tasted like straight up greek yogurt. I originally gravitated towards this recipe because I have a history of eating disorders and was looking for something that would be tasty, not make me feel gross, and I figured I would have plenty of leftovers to get me through the week. But after trying it I am trying to figure out how to salvage this to make it edible for the next few days, until I go grocery shopping next. I genuinely mean no disrespect by this and I recognize everyone has sensitivities to different tastes, but I regularly enjoy greek yogurt so I really didn’t anticipate having such a strong negative reaction to this but clearly I did. I could not recommend finding a different low calorie high protein option more.
I’m sorry you didn’t care for this, Rose. Did you blend the Greek yogurt and cottage cheese together before adding it to the recipe?
This recipe was soo good, I could have eaten the whole pan. Liquid evaporated perfectly, and I used a little less cottage cheese/yogurt mixture than it called for. People who said it’s disgusting…didn’t do it correctly. Thank you for this!