Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Lean ground turkey or chicken breast (cubed)
- 24 oz Large curd cottage cheese
- 24 oz Jar of your favorite marinara sauce
- 1 box (16 oz) Penne or Rotini pasta (uncooked)
- 2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup Water or chicken broth
- 2 cups Fresh spinach (optional)
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Grease your crockpot with non-stick spray to ensure easy cleanup. Pour the uncooked pasta into the bottom of the pot. Layer the raw ground turkey or cubed chicken directly over the pasta. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the meat to ensure every bite is seasoned. This layering technique allows the meat juices to flavor the pasta as it cooks.
- Empty the entire container of cottage cheese over the meat. Pour the jar of marinara sauce and the cup of water or broth over the top. Use a large spoon to gently stir just the top layers so the sauce and cottage cheese are combined, but try to keep the pasta mostly at the bottom. The liquid from the sauce and broth is essential for cooking the dry pasta perfectly inside the slow cooker.
- Cover the crockpot with the lid. Set the temperature to “Low” for 6 to 7 hours or “High” for 3 to 4 hours. If you are using ground meat, the slow cooking process will break it down into the sauce. If using cubed chicken, it will become incredibly tender. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the fresh spinach and top the entire dish with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Replace the lid and let the cheese melt into a gooey blanket.
- Give the mixture one final gentle toss to incorporate the melted cheese and the now-wilted spinach. The cottage cheese will have melted into a creamy, pink sauce that coats every piece of pasta. Spoon generous portions into bowls and garnish with extra red pepper flakes or fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot and bubbly.
- Cook Time: 4 hours 5 minutes