High Protein Spaghetti with Chicken & Broccoli

A thick, creamy pasta sauce coats spaghetti in this easy dinner winner. Cottage cheese is the secret ingredient here—it blends nicely into the sauce, adding a boost of protein along with the chicken. If you want to make this dish vegetarian-friendly, replace the chicken with white beans or chickpeas.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
  • 3/4 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 2 teaspoons italian seasoning, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, divided
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 3 cups bite-size broccoli florets
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast