Chicken and Penne

Note: Get a grownup’s help with this recipe, which requires using the oven/stove.

Prep time: 55 minutes

What you need:

1 box whole-wheat penne pasta (14 ounces)

3 cups of raw broccoli florettes

3/4 cup of precooked chicken strips (4 ounces)

1/2 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded (2 ounces)

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 ounces)

3 tablespoons skim milk (1.5 oz)

2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Equipment and supplies:

Pot for cooking pasta and steaming broccoli

Colander for draining pasta

13×9-inch baking dish

Steamer basket for broccoli

Measuring cups/spoons

Mixing bowl

Spoon

Skillet

Oven/stove

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cook pasta according to directions until crisp-tender. Drain pasta.

3. Place drained pasta in a 13×9 baking dish.

4. Place broccoli in a stockpot of boiling water or a steamer for about 5 minutes.

5. Rinse with cool water.

6. Add the drained broccoli and the precooked chicken strips to the pasta.

7. Sprinkle shredded cheeses over pasta mixture.

8. In a mixing bowl, combine milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.

9. Pour milk mixture evenly over the pasta mixture and mix in with a spoon.

10. Cover baking dish with foil.

11. Bake 30 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

310 calories

21g protein

4g fat

1.5g sat. fat

53g carbohydrate

7g fiber

20mg cholesterol

430mg sodium

4g sugars

Serves: 6

Serving size: 1/6 of pan

Check out more content from Let’s Go! and KidsHealth!