Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons plus 1 pinch salt, divided, or to taste
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 12 ounces dried ziti
- 2 cups mixed fresh vegetables, such as asparagus, matchstick carrots and sliced onions
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning blend
- 1 teaspoon chicken soup base, such as Better than Bouillon®
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 packed cup chopped fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- fresh basil sprigs for garnish
Instructions
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Gather all ingredients.
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Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add panko and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the Dutch oven and set aside. Wipe out the pot with paper towels.
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To the same pot, over medium-high heat, add 3 1/2 cups water, and stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Add 12 ounces ziti and stir to combine. Boil uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes.
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Stir in vegetables, garlic, herb seasoning, soup base, and pepper; return to a boil. Cook until pasta and vegetables are barely tender, and the water is nearly gone, about 4 minutes.
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Stir in chicken and spinach, and cook about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and Parmesan cheese.
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Place mixture into a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Top with reserved panko, garnish with fresh basil, and serve warm.
For convenience, if desired, use a 12-ounce bag of frozen mixed vegetables instead of the 2 cups of fresh, chopped vegetables.
If possible, grate your own Parmesan instead of purchasing it already grated. Often, the purchased grated Parmesan has an added anti-caking ingredient that may not melt well.
