Low Carb Chicken Spinach Pasta

Low Carb Chicken Spinach Pasta
Any combination of parsley, cilantro and basil can be used in this recipe, depending on availability. Instead of ground meat, we've also made the spinach sauce with chicken breast strips, browned tofu, or shrimp. If you can't imagine pasta without cheese, crumble some feta or shake some parmesan on top. The sauce needs a little tang, so the red pepper or tomato garnish really makes a difference in the flavor layering. If you use an immersion blender to purée the spinach, I suggest using a soup pot or other high-sided pan for the spinach sauce to avoid splatter.

Low Carb Chicken Spinach Pasta

INGREDIENTS Spinach Sauce 2 15oz packages frozen spinach, thawed 2-3 cups parsley, cilantro, or basil leaves, lightly packed any combination of these herbs can be used 1 tbsp canola oil 2 cups chopped onion 2 tsp minced garlic 1 1/2 tsp anise seed 1/3 cup olive oil 2 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Chicken 1 tbsp canola oil 2 lbs ground chicken substitute ground beef, ground turkey, or drained tofu 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4-1/2 tsp ground pepper Pasta & Garnish 14-21 oz. bean pasta, such as edamame fettucini substitute any kind of pasta 1 cup chopped red peppers or tomatoes, for garnish optional 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, for garnish optional INSTRUCTIONS For the Spinach Sauce Start heating water for the pasta. Thoroughly squeeze out the water from the thawed spinach. (Favorite method: place thawed spinach in colander and press out water with potato masher, followed if needed by a good squeeze with a dish towel.) Heat canola oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for about 3 minutes until it starts to become translucent. Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds. Add spinach, olive oil, and anise and sauté for about 3-4 more minutes. Mix in fresh herbs. Turn up the heat to medium high and add broth, salt, and pepper and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until heated through. (Start cooking the chicken at this stage, while the broth is heating up.) Use an immersion blender right in the spinach pan (or place mixture in food processor or blender) and process until sauce is somewhat creamy. (Add pasta to cooking water at this stage.) For the Chicken Heat 1 tbsp. canola oil over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and cook, breaking apart the meat as it cooks. (Ground turkey and ground beef generally come with enough fat to eliminate the need for oil in the browning process.) Once the chicken starts browning, add the remaining spices to the chicken and stir to mix evenly in the pan. When the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, transfer to spinach mixture and stir to combine. Turn off heat and cover to keep spinach-chicken sauce warm. Serve on drained bean pasta or other type of pasta. Garnish with chopped red peppers or tomatoes and pine nuts, if desired. RECIPE NOTES Take the bags of frozen spinach out of the freezer to thaw at room temperature the morning you plan to cook this meal, or place in the refrigerator the night before.