• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kidgredients logo

  • recipes
  • shop
  • about
  • collaborate
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • recipes
  • shop
  • about
  • collaborate
  • subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    home » Recipes » Dinner

    Basil chicken pasta sauce (with spinach they won't notice)

    Published: Sep 5, 2016. Modified: Oct 21, 2020By:Kylie·This post may contain affiliate links·

    Jump to Recipe

    Pasta is such a go to in our house...we have it at least once a week, and Monday is becoming the day for it. Why? Because Miss 5 has piano, homework needs to get done and we need to make sure we're on track for a good week. I've taking to roasting a chicken on a weekend with the sole purpose of it being available for meals later in the week. This is one of those meals, basil chicken pasta sauce (with spinach they won't notice). This pasta dish never fails to appeal as the kids love it and gobble it all up.

    Basil chicken pasta sauce (with spinach they won't notice)

    I've made tonights version in my thermocook, but you could just as easily make it on the stove like I normally do and I'll provide instructions for both. 

    The great thing about this dish...the kids are none the wiser about the spinach. How? Well, little white lies I guess, to me, it's more important that they eat well, so I may or may not pretend that the spinach (baby spinach at that so hardly offensive) is basil. Why do two children who do not eat baby spinach eat basil? It's just crazy.

    Basil chicken pasta sauce (with spinach they won't notice)

    So: no added salt, no added nasties, and so easy to make, this pasta sauce ticks all the boxes for us. It also freezes well, and tastes seriously good. It's not a traditional pasta sauce, but it's one that makes me remember why I originally fell truly and madly in love with pasta over 25 years ago.

    Would you believe that when I was ten I had never eaten real pasta? I don't mean fresh pasta, I mean actual dried pasta, like barilla or san remo, or anything! My mum made an incarnation of pasta using a continental pasta packet that we ate with "chicken cacciatore" but, I'd never eaten real pasta. Then one night, my Sicilian neighbour (my second grandmother...and the one that had all the good food) brought over a bowl of plain cooked pasta. I'd never eaten it before. I took one mouthful, then ate the whole bowl in about 20 seconds. It was soooo good. It was dressed oil olive oil and a bit of parmesan cheese and it entirely changed my life for the better.

    But this recipe, well, it's going to change your leftovers for the better!

    and the thermocook method:

    Basil chicken pasta sauce (with spinach they won’t notice)

    You can never go wrong with pasta, so I made more pasta recipes that you can serve for the whole family. Check them out below:

    • Sausage and pea pasta sauce
    • Cheesy chicken meatballs in cherry tomato pasta sauce
    • Superhero pasta sauce
    Basil chicken pasta sauce (with spinach they won't notice)

    Basil chicken pasta sauce (with spinach they won't notice) stovetop method

    Basil chicken pasta sauce (with spinach they won't notice) that is so yummy you will want it every night! Perfect veggie smuggling deliciousness.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner
    Cuisine: Modern Australian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 6 serves
    Calories: 179kcal
    Author: Kylie
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 onion diced
    • 1 clove garlic peeled
    • 2 tbsps olive oil
    • 3 basil leaves torn
    • tomatoes about 250 grams- whatever type you like, chopped
    • 700 ml passata
    • 10 basil leaves torn
    • 200 grams cooked chicken thigh or breast, chopped
    • 2 handfuls baby spinach

    Instructions

    • Heat olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onion and garlic until soft.
    • Add the basil leaves and tomatoes.
    • Add the passata and cook until the sauce starts to thicken (about 10 minutes)
    • Add the chicken basil and baby spinach and cook until heated through.
    • Serve with your favourite pasta.

    Nutrition

    Sodium: 79mg | Sugar: 2g | Fiber: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Calories: 179kcal | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fat: 12g | Protein: 14g | Carbohydrates: 4g
    Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @Kidgredients or tag #kidgredients!
     
     
    « Veggie and ham mini quiches with homemade shortcrust pastry
    Bella's veggie fritters »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mandy Mazliah says

      September 15, 2016 at 8:50 pm

      My kids are just the same - happy to eat basil - run away screaming (I'm not even joking) from spinach! I use the same little white lie... Spinach pesto is a good one too. Would this be nice cold, or better to have leftovers taken warm in a thermos?

      Reply
      • Kylie says

        September 15, 2016 at 9:06 pm

        Probably better in a thermos, depends if your kids will eat it cold! ?

        Reply
        • Mandy Mazliah says

          September 15, 2016 at 9:12 pm

          Well there's no way of telling what they will or won't eat on any given day!!! I think thermos is the safer bet, thanks x

          Reply
    2. Kate says

      September 09, 2016 at 12:17 pm

      Oh man you are making me hungry!

      Reply
      • Kylie says

        September 09, 2016 at 12:40 pm

        That's my goal in life Kate!

        Reply
    3. Danya Banya says

      September 09, 2016 at 12:38 am

      Oh yum!! I want some for me!! My kids are slightly spinach adverse at the moment, so I'm actually on the look out for delicious spinach recipes that I can make and tell the kids about the spinach in it, so they can learn that spinach tastes good sometimes! Ha ha, the opposite of hidden vegies. But I think this dish sounds like it could be a perfect introduction...

      Reply
      • Kylie says

        September 09, 2016 at 12:40 pm

        Just tell them after!!! That's my go to plan!

        Reply
    4. Penny says

      September 08, 2016 at 8:19 pm

      Yummmmmm! This looks delicious. I bet the girls will love this!

      Reply
    5. Renee Play-Based-Parenting says

      September 06, 2016 at 8:15 pm

      looks Tasty!!

      Reply
      • Kylie says

        September 06, 2016 at 8:37 pm

        Thanks Renee! We enjoy it, it's a regular on our meal plan!

        Reply
    6. stacey says

      September 06, 2016 at 6:52 pm

      Thanks for the recipe looks great! sneaky vegetable manoeuvers a necessary sometimes

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Kylie! What you see on this blog we eat. No smoke and mirrors, just yummy food your whole family will love.
    Read more about me!

    Easy Weeknight Dinners

    • Chicken Taco Rice
    • Curried sausages, the best way to make them
    • The best ever veggie packed chilli con carne- kid friendly!
    • Mango Chicken Curry

    Popular recipes

    • Beef, Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne
    • Rainbow veggie slice
    • Super simple 3 ingredient scones
    • Super easy 3 ingredient flatbreads, no rising!

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Policies

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Intellectual Property

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About me
    • Contact
    • Services
    • FAQ

    featured in, kidspot, bounty parents, daily mail, mouths of mums, mumtastic, foodgawker, families magazine, haven, the organised housewife, she does this

    Copyright © 2021 Kidgredients

    559 shares
    • 117