Crockpot Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Spay a large skillet with cooking spray. Over medium/high heat, sauté the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and garlic until fragrant.
Next, add your cubed chicken and sauté until browned on all sides.
Transfer chicken and sun dried tomatoes to your crockpot and top with chicken broth.
Cook on high heat for 2-3 hours, or low heat for 4-5 hours.
Add your pasta during the last 30 minutes of cook time. You could also boil these separately and add them to the slow cooker if you’d like them cooked faster.
Blend the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt (in a blender or food processor) until smooth and set aside.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain the extra liquid from the slow cooker and add in spinach and basil, then stir until wilted.
Stir the cottage cheese mixture into the contents of the slow cooker.
Finally, add your parmesan cheese. Stir one last time and serve immediately with extra cheese and fresh basil, as desired.
Sun-dried tomatoes: You can find these sweet gems in your produce section. They are usually in a bag or jar. Be sure and grab the kind that does not contain oil. If you have trouble finding them, you can substitute with fresh grape tomatoes or roasted red peppers.
Italian Seasoning: This is a space saver for your pantry. A variety of basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme all combined in one bottle.
Garlic: Did you know that in Northern Italian cooking they don’t use garlic? Fresh minced garlic is only used in in Southern and Tuscan cuisine.
Chicken: Cut your chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes or ½ inch thick strips to promote quick and even cooking.
Chicken Broth: You can make your own or grab some from the store. If buying, make sure to get low sodium.
Pasta: I use whole wheat noodles, but you can easily swap this for a gluten free noodle but be sure to reduce the cooking time (I use the rule of half the cooking time on the package minus 2 minutes). If using regular pasta, drain the extra water after
Cottage Cheese: Be sure and grab 2% cottage cheese. It will help lower the saturated fat and calories without over-processing, like in the fat-free varieties.
Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt is a great source of protein, probiotics, and calcium. It works well as a substitute for sour cream and cream cheese in pasta dishes.
Spinach: An excellent source of Vitamins A, C, and K, and full of fiber, calcium, and iron.
Basil: Popular in cuisine worldwide for its sweet aromatic flavor. You can also use dried in this recipe, if you don’t have fresh handy. Just reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon.
Parmesan Cheese: I love grabbing a wedge of fresh parmesan and grating it myself. The light nuttiness ties this recipe together perfectly.