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Whether I’ve had a hectic day or just need to get dinner on the table fast, there are some nights I just don’t have the energy or inclination to spend hours in the kitchen cooking dinner. There are a few Go To Meals that I rely on to get me through these kind of evenings. This School Night Chicken and Spinach Fettuccine ticks all the boxes: It’s fast, healthy and it’s made with a jar of pasta sauce that I usually keep in my pantry.
More Go to Recipe Ideas for busy School Nights:
- 12 Fast and Healthy Meal Ideas for Weeknight Dinners
- 20 Easy Clean Eating Dinners you can make in 20 Minutes or Less
- 14 Healthy Meals to make with a Jar of Pasta Sauce
Keeping a couple of jars of good quality pasta sauce in the pantry is a must if you have kids and busy weeknights. Obviously, feel free to make your Pasta Sauce from scratch – but I’ve learned to take a few clean eating shortcuts to keep me sane during the week – and cooking with pasta sauce in a jar is one of them.
Most supermarkets stock organic, clean pasta sauces. It may just take a little investigation to figure out which one to choose. Read through the ingredients list and make sure it’s made with real tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs like this one below from Organica.
The Recipe
25 Minute School Night Chicken & Spinach Fettuccine (made with a Jar of Pasta Sauce)
Ingredients
- 1 Bag of Wholewheat / Organic Fettuccine
- 6 chicken thighs sliced into quarters you can use shredded chicken or breasts but flavour is best using thighs
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1 Cup Spinach leaves
- 4 Black Mushrooms
- 1 Jar Organic Pasta Sauce
- Olive oil for Cooking
- Salt and Pepper
- OPTIONAL: 1/4 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Cook Fettuccine according to package instructions.
- Heat up a large pan on the stove top.
- Add olive oil and chicken pieces. Fry until slightly browned and juices have evaporated. Remove from pan.
- Add a little more oil and add diced onions to pan. Cook for around 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic, mushrooms, cooked chicken and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes. Pour in jar of pasta sauce. Reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer for 5 - 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in spinach leaves. These will wilt without further cooking.
- OPTIONAL: Grate a little mozzarella cheese over the top and place under oven grill to melt.
- Serve over cooked fettuccine with a salad on the side.
