This heart healthy brown rice penne chicken is a heart health-friendly dinner that’s perfect for anyone following a heart healthy diet. Made with gluten free brown rice pasta, tender chicken breast, fresh broccoli, and reduced-fat cheese, it’s a wholesome and delicious meal the whole family will enjoy. This nutrient-packed dish makes healthy eating easy and satisfying.
Explore more nutritious meals in our heart healthy chicken recipes!
This gluten-free chicken recipe featuring brown rice penne pasta is both delicious and nutritious. The celiac-friendly dinner combines gluten-free pasta made from brown rice with juicy chicken, colorful broccoli, and melty cheese for a filling and flavorful pasta bake that's also easy to make. Feel free to add other vegetables to this heart-healthy Brown Rice Penne Chicken to change the flavor profile.
Getting this chicken dinner on the table is a piece of cake. All you need to do is cook up a box of pasta and then combine it with the chicken, veggies and cheese in a casserole dish and pop it in the oven. It’s a healthy chicken dish that works well for meal prep and also fits into many diets.
Brown rice pasta is gluten free pasta that is made from whole grain brown rice flour. Compared to traditional pasta, it is a good source of fiber and also contains healthy nutrients such as magnesium, manganese and selenium. Brown rice pasta is similar in flavor and texture to wheat based pasta so it can be a great alternative when you want pasta with no gluten and lots of nutrition.
Many pasta recipes tend to be loaded with carbs and calories, but this chicken and vegetable pasta dish is loaded with healthy fiber and nutrients, as well as taste. It has just 48 grams of carbohydrates and 327 calories per serving. To up the nutrition profile of this low calorie chicken recipe even more, add in a few more of your favorite veggies.
Chicken, broccoli and cheese are the perfect accompaniment to a baked pasta recipe. But if you’re looking to switch things up a bit, try swapping out the broccoli for other veggies, such as asparagus or red peppers. For a bit of spice, sprinkle a few red pepper flakes in the dish. Or change up the type of pasta you use. Other healthy pastas on the market will work equally well in this recipe (just check the ingredients if you need to make this a gluten free recipe).
Recipe yields 6 servings
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Add broccoli during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and broccoli and transfer to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Lightly coat a skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic and chicken strips and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer chicken to baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheeses over pasta mixture.
In a bowl, combine milk, broth, salt and pepper. Pour milk mixture over the pasta mixture and stir to distribute evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, covered with foil, until mixture is bubbly and cheese is melted.
This recipe is low in saturated fat (2g) and sodium (363mg) but high in protein (21g), making it a great option for a heart healthy chicken meal that won’t disappoint. If you’re looking for more healthy and tasty ways to make chicken, try one of our other grilled or baked chicken recipes.