Baked Parmesan Chicken Pasta (gluten-free)

Happy Family Day from Alberta!

My boyfriend has been requesting a creamy chicken pasta dish for quite some time now (ha!) soo, I wanted to make it a gluten-free version with less dairy if possible. Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with using regular pasta, I just prefer quinoa-rice base (for my skin). We swapped out regular milk for unsweetened almond milk as well. This is a tasty comfort dish and I hope you enjoy it!

Baked Parmesan Chicken Pasta (g/f)

Pasta filling
2 cups uncooked gluten free pasta * see note below for kinds that I recommend* you can use penne, fusilli, elbow, ect.
2 chicken breasts cut up into small pieces
2 cups broccoli chopped
1 cup asparagus chopped
1 garlic clove minced
2 cups spinach (optional)

Creamy Sauce
2 tbsp grass fed butter (or regular butter)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 clove garlic minced + a few pinches of garlic powder
2-3 tbsp (roughly- add more if needed) gluten free flour
Pink sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
A few pinches of freshly grated or ground nutmeg (optional)
1.5 cups almond milk (unsweetened original) – you can add more if you want too
1 cup chicken or veggie broth (organic & low sodium) – I add broth to get a delicious deeper flavor in the dish instead of only using milk for it
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 – 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese OR cheddar cheese shredded (more if preferred)
A bit more cheese to put on top for when you’re baking it

* you can use various cheeses in this dish – have fun with it and get creative!*

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook pasta according to package and set aside once done.
3. Next, heat a large saucepan on medium-high and add a bit of cooking oil to it (coconut oil works good) and add the cut up chicken pieces. Add a bit of salt & pepper and cook until done. During the last 3-4 minutes of cooking the chicken, add in the broccoli and asparagus. Add a splash of water and a lid and let the veggies get steam cooked. Then add spinach and saute that up with the veggies and chicken. Once done, take pan off heat.
4. Now, to make the roux: in a smaller saucepan, put heat on medium high and melt the butter and coconut oil in it. Once melted, sprinkle on the flour of choice and whisk. Keep whisking for a minute (don’t let it burn!). Turn down the heat a bit. Then, slowly add the milk while whisking fast. After the milk, add in the broth, garlic, parsley, some salt and pepper and whisk until combined and creamy. Add in the cheese and whisk again. Taste test – add more salt and pepper if needed. The sauce should thicken up as well due to the flour. Keep an eye on it and add more broth or milk to it if it gets too thick.
5. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, cooked chicken, steamed veggies and cheese sauce. Mix up until combined and pour into a oiled glass baking dish. Sprinkle cracked pepper and any additional cheese  you want on top.
6. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until top is golden.Note: Make SURE you don’t over cook the pasta, especially gluten free kinds. I usually cook until its just about done, then strain and rinse under cold water to prevent further cooking. I do this when I am baking it after to ensure it doesn’t get as mushy as possible.

   Note: Some gluten free pasta kinds that I recommend: quinoa-rice pasta (what I used for this recipe) and brown rice pasta. Quinoa-rice is a lighter pasta while brown rice is a heavier and more dense noodle.

Marcy XO