Blackened chicken, protein, pasta, meal prep

Ingredients

• 3 lb Chicken Breast (trimmed of excess fat, pounded flat, then cut into 1‑inch cubes)
• as needed Cooking Spray (5‑calorie) (for lightly coating the pan and chicken)
• 2 Bell Peppers (any color, seeded and diced)
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 2 Tbsp Light Butter (for sautéing peppers)
• to taste Salt
• 32 oz Frozen Pasta (any short pasta shape (penne, rotini, fusilli))
• 1 cup Cottage Cheese (low‑fat, smooth texture)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded (freshly grated if possible)
• 1 cup Milk (any low‑fat milk)
• 4 oz Cream Cheese (1/3‑fat) (softened, cut into cubes)
• to taste Black Pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken

   Trim any visible fat from the chicken breasts, place them between two sheets of plastic wrap, and pound with a meat mallet until about 1/4‑inch thick. Cut the flattened chicken into roughly 1‑inch cubes.

   Time: PT5M

2. Season and pre‑spray the chicken

   Season the chicken cubes generously with salt and pepper (or the seasoning blend referenced in the video description). Lightly coat the pieces with 5‑calorie cooking spray.

   Time: PT2M

3. Sear the chicken

   Heat the skillet over medium‑high heat. Add a quick spray of cooking spray, then spread the chicken cubes in a single layer. Cook 5 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook another 5 minutes until browned but not fully cooked through.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: medium‑high heat

4. Chop vegetables while chicken cooks

   Dice the bell peppers into bite‑size pieces and mince the garlic.

   Time: PT3M

5. Sauté peppers and garlic

   Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. Add the light butter to the same pan, then toss in the diced peppers and minced garlic. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are softened.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

6. Combine chicken, pasta, and vegetables

   Return the seared chicken to the skillet. Add the frozen pasta directly (no need to thaw). Stir everything together for 2 minutes so the pasta begins to warm and coat with the butter‑pepper mixture.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium heat

7. Prepare the cheese sauce

   While the skillet contents are warming, place cottage cheese, shredded Parmesan, milk, softened cream cheese, a pinch of salt, and black pepper into a blender. Blend on high for 30‑45 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth.

   Time: PT5M

8. Finish the dish

   Pour the blended cheese sauce over the chicken‑pepper‑pasta mixture in the skillet. Stir gently to coat everything evenly. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and the chicken to finish cooking through.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium heat

9. Serve

   Transfer the creamy chicken pasta to a serving dish, garnish with extra grated Parmesan if desired, and serve hot.

   Time: PT0M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

560

Protein

38 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

4 g