Looking for a hearty winter meal that also happens to be highly nutritious? Try out this quick and easy chicken and winter vegetable pasta in creamy garlic sauce. The garlic sauce tastes rich and “oooooh-so-deliciously-bad-for-you” BUT guess what? It’s not! The spin on alfredo sauce is made with low-sodium chicken broth, low-fat milk, garlic, and spices, and is thickened with cornstarch – creating a sauce that tastes like garlickly heaven. SO – spoon up, and enjoy!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash, sliced

1 cup Brussel sprouts, sliced

2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped into 1 inch chunks

Salt and pepper to taste

250 grams fusilli whole-wheat pasta

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup low-fat milk

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed in cold water

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the sliced pumpkin or butternut squash and sliced Brussel sprouts to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until tender (approximately 7-8 minutes), stirring frequently. Add the chopped chicken breast to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until chicken is heated through, stirring frequently.

In a large pot, cook the whole-wheat pasta according to package directions. Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water when cooking. Reserve 2 tablespoons of starchy cooking liquid before draining.

In a third pot, add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until fragrant (approximately 2 minutes). Do not let the garlic brown. Increase the heat, then add the chicken broth, milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened to a desired consistency. Add more cornstarch to thicken if needed. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Combine vegetable and chicken mixture, pasta, reserved starchy cooking water, and creamy garlic sauce to a large bowl. Mix all ingredients well until coated in the creamy garlic sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve immediately.