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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.
This is one of my most popular recipes on the site, and for good reason. If you’re looking for more Weight Watchers dinner recipes, I recommend trying this WW Egg Roll in a Bowl, this Weight Watchers Goulash, or these Weight Watchers Swedish Meatballs.
Why I Love This Pasta Recipe
This is one of my favorite Weight Watchers dinner recipes because it’s lower in points but also filling and satisfying enough to curb even the strongest creamy pasta craving!
Craving pasta but can’t do pasta? I get that! When I’m really trying to keep my points down but want nothing but a bowl of noodles, this Healthy Chicken Lo Mein uses zucchini noodles or zoodles in place of the pasta.
Enjoy!
– Becca
Ingredients in WW Tuscan Chicken
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
- Whole Wheat Pasta: Pasta made from whole grains is lower in calories and carbs, as well as higher in fiber and most micronutrients.
- 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: Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, and K, and full of fiber, calcium, and iron.
Instant Pot Instructions
Step 1: 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 for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the cubed chicken to the pot, and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often. This will prevent your chicken from clumping together while it’s under pressure. Once the chicken is browned on all sides, add the chicken broth.
Step 3: Add the pasta to the pot and stir well, ensuring that all noodles are below the liquid.
Step 4: Close and lock the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the time for 3 minutes.
While your chicken is cooking, blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and parmesan cheese together until smooth, then set aside.
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Step 5: When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
Stir the contents of the pot. Drain any excess liquid from the pot, keeping aside 1/4 cup.
Add the 1/4 cup liquid to the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt mixture and stir well.
Add the spinach and fresh basil to the pot and stir until the leaves have wilted.
Step 6: 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.
Serve immediately. Garnish with additional parmesan and 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.
- 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 Tuscan Chicken Pasta FAQs
Yes! For meal prep, cook per the instructions and then refrigerate or freeze in individual serving size containers.
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.
I like to pair this pasta dish with vegetables like this Air Fry Frozen Broccoli, this Eggplant Air Fryer Recipe, or these Carrot French Fries.
Weight Watchers Points
Each serving counts as 5 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.
Weight Watchers Pasta Recipes
If you tried this recipe for Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta or any other recipe on my site please leave a rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta
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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. Stir the contents of the pot. Drain any excess liquid from the pot, keeping aside 1/4 cup. Add the 1/4 cup liquid to the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt mixture and stir well.
- 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. Serve immediately.
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.
Crockpot Instructions
- Lightly spray a large skillet with cooking oil, then add tomatoes, garlic, Italian herbs, and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds or so until it becomes fragrant.
- Add your cubed chicken to the pan and brown for 1-2 minutes until the chicken no longer sticks together.
- Transfer chicken and sun dried tomatoes (all of the contents of the pan) to your crockpot and top with chicken broth. Cook on high heat for 2-3 hours, or low heat for 4-5 hours.
- 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.
- Stir the cottage cheese mixture and 1/4 cup pasta water into the contents of the slow cooker.
- Stir one last time and serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese and fresh basil, as desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Make This Recipe?
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My husband and I made this tonight and we both loved it! We used 2% yogurt and normal cottage cheese and it was so creamy.
This would be great for a pot luck. A crowd pleaser!
If you were to use whole wheat pasta, how would that change the recipe? Also, do you think I could use a rotisserie chicken instead?
This recipe calls for wheat pasta :) You can use rotisserie chicken, I’d skip step two!
I cooked this a couple days ago in the InstaPot, even used 14-15oz of noodles (vs 12oz) and it was SWIMMING in chicken broth. I mixed the cottage cheese/yogurt in hoping it would help but it just almost dissolved in the liquid. Was extremely disappointed. I used Whole Wheat Penne Noodles from Schnucks.
Hi Stephanie, I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you! How did you cook it?
I have a question regarding the broth. 3 cups made it soupy in the instant pot….it was way too much liquid. Could I cut back the broth to just 1 cup? I am afraid of it burning on. Other than that, the flavor was delicious.
Daphne, Did you use whole wheat pasta? That could explain the extra liquid.
If you let me know about the pasta I can help you troubleshoot the liquid!
Hi!!
Is it grated Parmesan cheese or shredded?
Thanks!
Either, but I use shredded :)
I made it according to the recipe, only adding a drained can of mushrooms, and it came out perfectly! I just started WW this week and have struggled to find satisfying recipes that don’t blow all my points. This is a keeper! Thanks so much for sharing. ;)
Any suggestions on storing and reheating? I’m making this ahead of time to eat for lunch at work.
Sore in meal prep containers and microwave for 1:30-2:30, depending on your microwave.
Is this served warm or cold?
Typically, warm!
I liked the flavor.
I cooked it stove top. It needed an entire box (32oz) chicken broth to cook the pasta. I had to keep adding some into the pot. Don’t use a fry pan!
I tried it after adding the parmesan cheese and spinach I liked that as well.
My husband thinks that some other vegetable could be added, perhaps peas.
He’s not a big fan of white meat, which I used, he would rather have dark meat.
I would use less pasta, 12 oz is too much.
If I use less pasta then I would also use less broth instead of the entire box like I did.
I will make it again.
Thank you for the recipe.
Is this weight watchers? It doesnt specify how many points this recipe is.
It does, under the heading “How many points are in this pasta?” 7 Blue, 9 Green, 2 Purple. It’s also in the printable recipe at the end of the post.