How to Make an Easy, Inexpensive Creamy Chicken With Broccoli and Pasta Skillet Meal (Diabetic Friendly)

This simple dish is great on a weeknight or any night when you're short on time. The skillet meal is easy to make, inexpensive, and it tastes good. It's creamy, cheesy, and the chicken stays tender. The dish also is nutritious. It's loaded with lean protein, and, thanks to whole-grain pasta as well as broccoli, the dish is rich in fiber and great if you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy." I use chicken tenders to make the skillet meal, but sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts will work fine, too. We like the dish for dinner with a simple salad. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave on 50-percent power. Enjoy!

How to Make an Easy, Inexpensive Creamy Chicken With Broccoli and Pasta Skillet Meal (Diabetic Friendly)

Creamy Chicken With Broccoli and Pasta (Diabetic Friendly) -- Serves 4+

2-3 teaspoons of canola oil

16-ounces of chicken tenders

2-3 tablespoons of white whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

2 cups of water

2 teaspoons of reduced sodium chicken base (I use "Better Than Bullion")

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 1/2 cups of whole-wheat penne or similar-shaped pasta

12-ounce bag of frozen broccoli

2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup of light sour cream

1/4 cup of milk

1/2 cup of shredded Italian cheese blend, divided

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the chicken tenders. Sprinkle the tenders with the flour, salt, and pepper and saute them for 5-8 minutes. You want them almost, but not quite, cooked through. Stir in the water, the chicken base, onion powder, and garlic powder and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the pasta. Turn the heat down to a low-boil/simmer and partially cover the pan. Let the mixture cook for about 10 minutes or until the pasta has softened to your liking and absorbed most of the water. While the pasta is cooking, microwave the broccoli for 5 minutes or until it is crisp-tender. When the pasta is done, stir the broccoli into the mixture, along with the grated Parmesan cheese, light sour cream, and milk (you can add more or less milk, depending on how thick you want the sauce). Turn off the heat, stir in half the shredded Italian cheese, then sprinkle the remaining shredded Italian cheese on top of the mixture and cover the skillet again until the cheese on top of the mixture has melted. Serve the meal from the skillet for easy cleanup.

How to Make an Easy, Inexpensive Creamy Chicken With Broccoli and Pasta Skillet Meal (Diabetic Friendly)