T.G.I. Friday's Dijon Chicken Pasta Reduced Fat

By RJamoralin

That creamy, white Dijon sauce that smothers the original version of this delicious pasta is luscious indeed but cursed by oodles of flabby fat grams. This can be fixed in our reduce-fat clone by using strained fat-free yogurt-an ingredient apparently inspired by the ancient Mediterranean technique of straining yogurt through a cheesecloth-that adds a thick, creamy consistency to our sauce without adding fat.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size - 1 Entree
Calories - 730/ Original - 930
Fat - 8 g/ Original - 45 g

Ingredients

• Dijon Pasta Sauce
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup strained fat-free yogurt (See Tidbits)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 2 teaspoons Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• dash ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Chopped Spice Blend
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• dash or two ground pepper
• fat-free butter-flavored spread or spray
• 4 skinless chicken breast fillets
• 1-pound package penne pasta
• 3 to 4 quarts water
• Garnish
• 1 small tomato, diced
• fresh parsley, chopped

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from topsecretrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat barbecue or stovetop grill to medium/high heat.

2. Prepare pasta sauce by first sauteing the pressed garlic in the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Saute only for a minute or two over medium heat. Do not let the garlic brown or it will become bitter. Remove pan from heat.

3. Combine strained yogurt with cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add evaporated milk, fat-free milk, and mustard, and mix. Pour mixture into saucepan and place it back over heat. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, and stir.

4. When sauce thickens, add parsley and turn heat to low, stirring often.

5. As sauce cooks, prepare the chicken by combining all of the spice blend ingredients in a small bowl. Rub a light coating of butter-flavored spread or spray over each breast, and sprinkle some of the spice blend over both sides of each chicken breast. Cook the chicken on the grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Turn the chicken at a 45/degree angle halfway through the cooking time on each side, so that you get crisscrossed grill marks on the surface.

6. While chicken is grilling, prepare pasta by brining 3 to 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pan. Add pasta to the water and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until pasta is tender. Strain.

7. Divide strained pasta into four portions on four plates, and pour a generous portion of the sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle some diced tomato over the pasta on each plate. Sprinkle some additional fresh parsley over the pasta.

8. Slice each chicken breast across the grain, and arrange each sliced breast on top of the pasta on each plate, being careful to retain the shape of the chicken as you position it.

Serves 4 as an Entree.

Tidbits
You can buy ready-made Greek strained yogurt in your supermarket ("Fage" makes one), or you can make your own by pouring a large container of plain yogurt into a coffee filter placed in a metal steamer basket or strainer. Overnight, the liquid whey will drain from the yogurt, leaving a thick, cheeselike substance in the strainer. Measure this thick stuff for the recipe and toss out the liquid.