Roasted Vegetable Sauce Chicken Pasta Meal Prep

 

Roasted Vegetable Sauce Chicken Pasta Meal Prep

This recipe started completely by accident in the best way. My daughter gave me a 1.5 pound bag of mini red bell peppers, and instead of letting them sit in the fridge, I decided to roast them and build a meal around them. What came out of it was a deeply flavorful roasted vegetable sauce that became the base for a chicken pasta meal prep that turned simple whole foods into six complete meals. This is the kind of cooking I love most, simple ingredients layered together in a way that creates both flavor and ease for the week ahead.

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds mini red bell peppers

1.5 pounds cherry tomatoes

1 onion, diced (plus 1 additional onion for sautéing)

6 carrots total, trimmed and divided between roasting and sautéing

1 tablespoon olive oil (plus 1 additional tablespoon for sautéing)

2 tablespoons chopped garlic, divided

1 jalapeño, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

2 pounds chicken breast, diced

1 cup chicken broth

Fresh basil, to taste

1 (8 ounce) box Chef’s Kiss lupin bean pasta (not flour-based pasta)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the mini red bell peppers in half and remove the seeds. Place them face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until the skins are blistered and the peppers are soft and deeply roasted. Remove from the oven and transfer to a covered bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes to steam, which makes peeling easier. Once cooled, peel off the skins and set peppers aside.

On a separate sheet pan, add cherry tomatoes, diced onion, sliced carrots, olive oil, garlic, and jalapeño. Roast at 425 degrees for about 1 hour, stirring halfway through, until everything is soft, caramelized, and rich in flavor.

Once roasted, combine peeled red peppers with the roasted vegetable tray, chicken broth, and fresh basil. Blend until smooth or slightly textured depending on preference. This becomes your roasted vegetable sauce.

While the vegetables are roasting, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and carrots and sauté until onions are golden and carrots begin to soften. Add zucchini, squash, and mushrooms and cook until reduced and tender. Add diced chicken breast and cook until fully cooked through.

Cook Chef’s Kiss lupin bean pasta according to package directions. I used one 8-ounce box and stretched it into six servings when combined with the vegetables, chicken, and sauce. This is not a flour-based pasta, but a higher protein, higher fiber lupin bean pasta that works well for meal prep.

Mix the cooked pasta with the chicken and vegetable mixture, then add the roasted vegetable sauce. Toss until everything is fully coated and combined. Divide into six meal prep portions.

Storage Tip:  This recipe makes a generous amount of sauce. I typically use about half of the roasted vegetable sauce for the meal prep, and store the remaining half in the freezer. It freezes beautifully and can be used later for pasta, chicken bowls, or as a base for soups.  (Makes about 5-6 cups of Sauce)

Tips:  Using cherry tomatoes instead of chopping large tomatoes saves time and creates natural sweetness in the sauce. Roasting vegetables instead of sautéing them builds deeper flavor with very little effort. This recipe stretches a standard pasta box into six servings by increasing volume with vegetables and chicken. The sauce can be blended smooth or left slightly chunky depending on preference.

This is the kind of meal that reminds me how simple real food can be. One tray of roasted vegetables, a quick skillet of chicken and vegetables, and a basic box of lupin bean pasta turns into a full week of nourishing meals. It is flexible, forgiving, and built from everyday ingredients, which is exactly the kind of cooking I come back to again and again.  Find more recipes at realfoodrecovery4u.com.