BBQ Sauce Pasta
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
The penne is cooked directly in the skillet with the rest of the ingredients like risotto so the pasta soaks up all the flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480 ml) shredded chicken breast
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey barbecue sauce
- 1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil
- 1 medium Texas sweet onion, chopped
- 4 cups (960 ml) fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth
- 1 (13 1/4-oz) box whole wheat penne pasta
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) honey barbecue sauce
- 1 cup (240 ml) fat-free plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup (4-oz) smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) panko bread crumbs
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine shredded chicken and 2 tbsp barbecue sauce in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- In a large (12-in) non-stick skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions to the pan and saute until softened. Add penne, broth and salt, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12 minutes, until liquid is almost absorbed- the pasta should be tender and the mixture slightly thickened. Stir in the yogurt and barbecue sauce. Once mixed, add in chicken and shredded cheese- stir to combine and continue to heat until cheese is melted.
- Pour into a large baking dish and top with panko and parmesan cheese. Drizzle with additional barbecue sauce- about 2 tbsp. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until panko/cheese is golden.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 490
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the pasta cooked directly in the skillet rather than boiled separately?
The excerpt explains that the penne is cooked directly in the skillet with the other ingredients, risotto-style, so it absorbs all the flavors — onion, 4 cups of chicken broth, and barbecue sauce — as it cooks. After 12 minutes of simmering, the liquid is almost fully absorbed and the pasta is tender with a slightly thickened, saucy base.
What role does Greek yogurt play in this pasta dish?
Once the pasta has absorbed most of the broth, 1 cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt is stirred in along with 1/2 cup of honey barbecue sauce before the smoked Gouda is added. The yogurt adds creaminess and protein while keeping the dish lighter than a cream-based sauce. 
I was looking for a dish to use some leftover turkey tenderloin in. Well I decide to go with a BBQ pasta dish and this turned out to be the one. I’ll be honest I did make a couple of substitutions. I used bowtie pasta instead of Penne ( not a fan of it) and sour cream instead of yogurt. I did cook it according to directions and it turned out perfectly. This was way better than I expected . I’ll definitely try this dish again and recommend it in a heartbeat.