Betty's Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 12 ounces uncooked pasta (rigatoni, penne, etc)
• 1 lb chicken, cooked & cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach (thawed & drained)
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, cubed
• 12 ounces mozzarella cheese or 12 ounces italian cheese blend, shredded

Recipe

• 1 cook pasta according to package directions, remembering to leave it slightly undercooked. rinse and set aside, reserving the pot for mixing in later.
• 2 in a large skillet, cook onions in the olive oil until soft and translucent. add garlic, chicken, and spinach. cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring well to distribute the spinach nicely. remove from heat.
• 3 melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. add flour and seasonings. cook 2-3 minutes whisking constantly. add milk slowly, whisking together to make a sauce. (it may take a few minutes to thicken.)
• 4 add cubed cream cheese to sauce, stirring to melt.
• 5 combine pasta, sauce, and meat mixture in the pasta pot. stir well to mix.
• 6 pour into 9x13" casserole, top with shredded cheese. ***at this point you may cover tightly with foil and refridgerate until ready to bake.
• 7 to bake: preheat oven to 375. uncover casserole and bake for 30-40 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbly.