Go-To Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Have you ever invited a group of friends over, offering to make dinner, and then completely forgot that you ever made plans in the first place a couple hours before they are supposed to arrive?? I must admit, it doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's nice to be able to pull out a set of recipes that you know are crowd pleasers and that you can whip up in a pinch. This one always does the trick for me! Slightly modified from a Better Homes and Garden recipe, it's healthy, tasty, encompassing of many food groups, and sure to have guests asking for seconds!

Go-To Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

(serves a lot!)

Ingredients:

8 ounces dried farfalle

1 onion, chopped (refer to previous blog for a tip!)

3 egg whites

1 1/4 cups skim milk

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (Trader Joe's sells cooked chopped chicken that is PERFECT for this)

1 to 2 cups reduced fat shredded cheese, depending on your liking

1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced

1 bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained (if canned) and chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 tablespoon paprika

cooking spray (if you want to splurge, 1 tablespoon melted butter)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

3. In small skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg whites, milk, seasoning, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Gently fold in chicken, shredded cheese, artichokes, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, half of the Parmesan, cooked pasta, and onion. Transfer to baking dish.

5. Bake, covered (aluminum foil works too!), 25 minutes. Meanwhile, mix remaining Parmesan, bread crumbs, and paprika. If you are splurging, add butter.

6. Sprinkle mixture over pasta and dust with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes.

7. Let cool 10-15 minutes, and then serve.

*If you don't already have a stash of recipes to pull out for last minute dinners, make one now, and add this to it! Rubber band, paperclip, or hole punch and 3 ring bind them so they are easy to access.