Oven-Baked (or not…) Lemony Spinach and Chicken Pasta

For the first time this year, I’m actually feeling like it’s SPRING! Yes, last weekend there was a snowstorm… and I can’t totally rule out the possibility that it will snow again in April… but it’s going to get into the 70s this week, and I’m doing all my running outside, so it must be spring. That means spring food… lighter, fresher, and hopefully, faster — because our pace of life doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon!

I wouldn’t mind the busyness if I didn’t feel so mentally and emotionally burdened — we’re not just running around trying to make our schedules fit, we’re trying to address some big issues in our lives. Grad school (well hello there, Mr. GRE), the place of work in both our lives, balancing the time we each need to be alone and the time our marriage necessitates time together, financial priorities, not to mention endless talk about the ENTIRE TRAJECTORY OF OUR LIVES… sometimes, it gets a little much. A little weighty.

To deal with the pressure, I cook. OK, I also plan, make schedules, discuss with Sean, pray, journal, run, discuss with Sean again, revise the plan, force Sean to discuss the state of things one last time… but a lot of the time, I cook. It’s a happy thing, a creative thing. I gain a small sense of control. When I want comfort, I cook comforting foods. When I need a breath of fresh air, I’ll cook something new and refreshing. It’s all part of the balance.

I love this dish because it manages to be both refreshing (hello, spring!) and comforting (… but why does my body still wants to store up fuel for winter?). That’s what the combination of fresh lemon and bubbly, baked cheese will do for you! You’ll see that you can make this lemony spinach and chicken pasta two ways — either as a stir-and-serve pasta, or an oven-baked casserole. I made it both ways, and liked each way equally. I love that flexibility in this recipe — sometimes you can’t wait an extra 30 minutes to bake your already-cooked dinner, but who cares? Just dig in! But if your craving something melty and with a slightly more substantial texture, toss it into a baking dish and walk away for 3o minutes. The result is magical!

Oven-Baked (or not…) Lemony Spinach and Chicken Pasta

Serves 6-8

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

• extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound short whole wheat pasta (shells, penne, etc.)
• 1 chicken breast
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups well-chopped fresh spinach
• 1 ½ cups sliced, toasted almonds
• zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter or oil a large casserole or baking dish – something roughly equivalent to 13×9-inch pan.

Boil the pasta in salted water per package instructions. Drain pasta and set aside.

In the meantime, heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until just underdone. Add the onions and mushrooms and sauté for another few minutes, until the onions begin to turn translucent. Stir in garlic. Stir in spinach and combine well. Cook for just about 30 seconds, until the spinach collapses a bit. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the almonds, the zest, and the lemon juice. Add to pasta and stir to mix well, stirring about a minute or so. Now, choose how you want to eat this:

Quick eat: Serve pasta into individual serving bowls, sprinkle with cheese and remaining almonds, and eat!

Or, as a baked casserole: Add a layer of the pasta to the bottom of the baking pan, then sprinkle with some of the cheese, add more pasta, then more cheese. Finish with a layer of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly melted. Serve sprinkled with the remaining almonds.

Tagged as: chicken, dinner, lemon, Pasta