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Chicken Casserole Nests

A healthy, easy baked chicken casserole nests made from pasta nests filled with a mixture of cheeses, peas, and chicken, layered on a pool of tomato sauce.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Author Denise Browning

Ingredients

  • For the sauce:
  • 5 cups of your favorite store-bought tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ¼ cup white wine optional
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves or 1-2 teaspoons of dried
  • For the pasta nests:
  • 8 fettuccine nests uncooked (pick the nests that have a wider opening in the center)
  • 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat provolone or mild cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 pound Tyson Trimmed and Ready Chicken Breast Tenderloin 8 ounces
  • 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (about 180 degrees C).
  2. Prepare the sauce: In a medium stainless steel saucepan, mix together all ingredients until combined and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Pour into a large Pyrex or casserole dish, and set aside.
  3. For the pasta nests: Arrange uncooked pasta nests on top of the hot tomato sauce, keeping each a bit of a distance from the others. Using a spoon, ladle some of the hot tomato sauce over each nest to moisten. In a medium bowl, mix together the cheeses and peas, and set aside.
  4. Pat dry the chicken with paper towels and cut into small pieces. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a medium non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken (about 2-3 minutes). Mix into the cheese-pea mixture. Spoon cheese-chicken mixture into the raw pasta nests. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil (If necessary, grease the interior of the sheet with non-stick cooking spray in order to avoid the cheeses sticking to the foil). Bake for about 40-45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top of the pasta nests if desired. Serve chicken casserole nests hot (2 nests per person). A fresh salad or steamed vegetables, if desired, can accompany chicken casserole nests. Enjoy our chicken casserole nests!!!